Chosen
by Torrentiality
Summary: An unseen war wages all around us, & the only hope for mankind is a group of individuals blessed with powerful magicks. After years of running from destiny, Jade West lands herself back in the middle of the fray & will be forced to choose, once & for all, where her loyalties lie. Will she align herself with the Light or succumb to the Darkness within her struggling to escape?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I'm taking a _temporary_ break from the Horseman series. I'm still plotting that one out, and the structure for this one came to me remarkably fast and I wanted to get it down. Don't worry - I won't forget about it! Just be patient with me, guys. **

**Anyway, I hope this one is to your standards :x ... I'm a fan of the concept. Maybe it will keep me sane as graduation approaches. (Doubt it.)  
RR, ladies and gents!  
**

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**[Prologue]**

When the world was young, chaos reigned.

The otherworldly and supernatural walked among mankind freely; demons and creatures of the Dark stalked humans and preyed on our weaker natures and tendencies; beings of Light sought not necessarily to protect us, rather to maintain the balance – to hold the line against the Dark and prevent the scales from tipping in its favor. We were fodder – sustenance and vessels for evil, often became a threat for goodness in the process...

Humanity was a casualty of the never-ending war between the Light and Dark. Our race was nearly snuffed out as the battles raged on for generations. Paranoia and terror gripped the hearts of every man; villages scattered, their denizens often taking refuge with the Fae or other willing protectors. The outcome of Twilight (or the Great War, as it is often referred to) was uncertain, the future bleak. Mankind needed a champion of their own – one to enter into battle on their behalf, not just as an afterthought or consequence.

That champion came in the form of Atticus, an aging man who had spent his life with Fae while his family sought protection. He studied and practiced their intricate magicks for decades, becoming the first human to successfully adopt otherworldly abilities. He sought to share this gift, to educate others in the way of magick; he realized it could perhaps be their only hope. His students – men and women alike – formed a Brotherhood, a council of magically endowed humans that fought valiantly for mankind. They learned soon on, however, that Fae enchantments are no match against the warriors of Light and Dark. They needed something more potent.

They needed to harness the sublime powers of Light and Dark itself.

The Brotherhood, calling upon their most advanced magicks, devised a spell, one that would harness the soul, the very essence of any creature and fuse it with their own human spirit. Though confident in their abilities, none among their ranks had the courage to step forward and offer him or herself up to be the first to test the spell.

A young girl, her name now lost to time, approached Atticus, begging and pleading with him to cast the spell on her; a neighboring village had just fallen siege to a clan of vampires. She feared hers would be next and she wished to offer protection other family and friends. Atticus hesitated; he was not inclined to send a young woman into battle against the scourge, even with magickal aid. She cried angry tears and spat bitter curses, condemning his cowardice. "I shall fight with or without your help!" She swore. "I shall fight and die with honor protecting my family. I will not flee and hide like you, dabbling with your silly magick while your brothers and sisters are slaughtered around you!"

Spurred on by her rebuke, Atticus conceded. His talent, though great, was being wasted selfishly. He gathered the Brotherhood and prepared for the ritual.

An ancient Fire Gollum, nearing the end of its life and encouraged by the Fae, offered himself as a willing sacrifice. He would merge his spirit with the girl's to endow her with his powers.

The sorcerers gathered, girl and creature stood bravely before them. The chanting began softly, their voices like a whisper, before it built into a roar and echoed through the glen they'd taken refuge in. Palms were split with a silver dagger; young blood mingled with ancient magick.

A blinding flash of light. A sudden wave of energy threw the unprepared backwards.

The forest was silent; every creature held its breath as the light dimmed and the dust settled.

The Gollum was gone. The girl remained, and she had been transformed. Her eyes, once dark like coal, glittered the most brilliant hues of orange and yellow – the eyes of a Fire Gollum. Her once skinny, wiry frame was padded with sinew and muscle. Tendrils of flame spat and burst from her fingertips.

A hybrid – a split soul. The first of her kind.

Just as she swore, she stood bravely against the vampires. Evil, unprepared for such a foe, suffered heavy casualties. Those who survived retreated into the darkness to warn others. She became a legend - she became feared.

More importantly, she became mankind's champion.

The world was too vast for one girl to protect, however. Atticus and the Brotherhood decided they could hide no longer - they divided into factions and spread across the globe, recruiting members into the fold. Those they deemed worthy could volunteer themselves to undergo the Transformation; they could join the ranks of the Guardians, the protectors of the human race.

The hybrids quickly gained the attention of the Light and Dark. Neither side was pleased to discover man's new ability to tamper with the order of things, to absorb their spirits at will. The Dark in particular felt threatened; their food source had grown claws, had learned to fight back. Some races mimicked the Brotherhood's ritual, calling upon dark magicks to create their own hybrids – some of which we now recognize as vampires and werewolves.

The War continued on like it always had, with no end in sight - the only difference is that Man had entered into the fray. Though they typically aligned themselves with good against evil, the Guardians' main concern was to push both sides from their realm and protect their race as they did so. "Continue your battle elsewhere." They demanded. "Leave our world in peace."

Their voices carried weight now, and many obliged.

But not all.

Monsters and demons unconcerned with Twilight still lurked among us and preyed on us. Many hybrids, in response, elected to roam the world to protect innocents. They'd wander from town to town, slaying whatever evil might be there before moving on.

Years passed. The original members of the Brotherhood realized their time on this earth was quickly drawing to a close. They compiled a collection of instructions and spells for the subsequent generations, the first Grimoire, and, gathering their magicks one final time, cast a powerful spell whose effects still ripple through time today: when one dies, another is summoned.

The Brotherhood had calculated the number of Guardians required to defend the world from Darkness - their ranks needed to remain small to remain covert, but they didn't want to risk having their entire race (however durable) wiped out over the years. Their solution was simple: with a Guardian fell, a creature's soul would be summoned from the afterlife and fuse it with that of a worthy individual. It was the Brotherhood's job to locate and train them until they were ready to enter into the fight.

What the Brotherhood neglected to realize is that their spell made no consideration for _what_ would be summoned: any supernatural creature could cross the void and fuse itself with what _it _considered a worthy host. Most creatures tended to target the good, the morally-centered people. Some, however, were the essences of monsters or demons. They often (though not always) chose those who would eventually submit to the dark nature being impressed and imposed on them.

Any Guardian that abandoned or ignored their call were considered Rogue and watched carefully, if not immediately hunted down. There is no way to split the souls once they were fused - the only option is death. Otherwise, barring serious injury, hybrids could live for generations.

They exist to this day, walking among us unnoticed and protecting us from evils we have long forgotten existed. The Brotherhood's spell perfected itself over time, usually endowing its chosen with the powers and abilities of the creatures rather than physical appearance. That's not to say it's perfect - study any hybrid close enough and they'll often exhibit minute tells, minuscule details or qualities that just seem _off_.

Jade West is one such individual. Her eyes shine just a little too brightly in the darkness, her skin just a little too pale, her temper just a little too consuming. She was summoned in the late 1800s, her soul fusing with that of a chaos demon, a powerful servant of the goddess Eris.

She was not well received by most Guardians, her summoning not celebrated. Very few of her kind had ever existed and most that had had caused severe trouble and strife for the world before, their humanity warped and mutated over time by the powerful evil inside them. Despite her unfavorable treatment she remained with her team of Guardians for many years and was able to form strong, if not always positive, bonds with them.

Things, however, changed suddenly... Overnight, in fact. She and her companions stumbled upon a nest of vampires while investigating a rash of slayings and mutilations in the area, the element of surprise failing to work in their favor. Major injuries were sustained, casualties suffered. What remained of the hybrids retreated to safety before their entire team fell. When they awoke the next day Jade was gone, and all attempts to locate her failed. That was nearly fifty years ago. To this day she has yet to be found, and is presumed by many to be long dead.

But, as the story goes, speak of the devil and she will appear.


	2. Chapter 2

**[2013]**

The man checked his watch absently, having long lost track of how many times he'd already done so in the past hour. He had been waiting for some time now, standing in the shadows across the street from a seedy Harlem strip club. It was 4 AM; Shocktop's was closing at any moment. Which meant, at any moment, delectable little morsels would be dragging themselves out into the stirring New York streets to make their trip home. They'd be exhausted, their bodies spent after a night of dancing and crawling on stage. They'd smell of perfume and alcohol, many of them would probably taste of the many cigarettes they'd consumed on their breaks. Many of them might even be drunk, having drowned the stresses from the night in shots paid for by patrons. Weak. Unwary. Defenseless.

Perfect. A delicious breakfast.

Patiently he waited as the minutes ticked by, his hunger gnawing at him more and more. He briefly considered fetching a snack, something to hold him over before the main course arrived. Just as he prepared to walk away he saw the door swing open, heard the clack of their heels as they climbed up the steps to street level. There were easily a dozen of them, performers and waitresses alike, and they split off into smaller groups as they headed in their particular direction home.

He couldn't lose with any choice he made, and easily picked the smaller group of three. That'd be plenty for today, he reasoned, and he could always come back again tomorrow. He waited until they were some yards ahead before he extracted himself from his hiding spot, his trench-coat flapping in his back-draft as he sped up to keep sight of them. He knew that up ahead there was a construction-zone – a hefty city block that was roped off for the general public. It'd be abandoned at this hour. It was the perfect location to strike, away from the prying eyes of meddlesome do-gooders.

"Bye, baby, see you tomorrow!" One girl waved, their pack of two fracturing as the taller of the pair hooked a left at a crosswalk. She was defenseless and alone now - a little lamb wrapped up in sequins and satin just for him. He quickened his pace, his footsteps falling soundlessly on the pavement behind her. He was close enough now to catch a whiff of the bubblegum she was chewing. Perhaps, if the mood struck him, he'd plant a quick kiss on her full lips before he feasted on her. An appetizer, if you will.

The traffic light ahead of them turned, forcing her to pause at the crosswalk as she waited for it to change. _Now_.

She was taken by complete surprise. He clamped an icy hand over her mouth and dragged her effortlessly into the dark alley, tossing her against a wall to daze her. He couldn't help but play with his meals. She screamed and struggled to regain balance as he continued to shove her, but found herself too unstable in her 4-inch heels. She stumbled and fell, landing heavily on her knees. The copper scent of blood immediately filled his nostrils and made his mouth water; the sound of her panicked screeches and heart drumming wildly in her chest enveloped him. The whole scene was euphoric. In just a few moments her blood would be saturated with adrenaline, just how he liked it.

"Please." She whimpered, pawing and swatting at him desperately as he hauled her to her feet and clung firmly to her. "You can take all my cash... Please just let me go."

"I plan on taking your money too, sweetheart, don't worry. I'm just feeling a bit peckish at the moment." He smiled; the faint glow from the distant street-light reflected dully off his elongated fangs. He spun her body so that her back was to his front and held her tightly against him, allowing his free hand to unknot her tied coat and explore the curves of her body. It'd been so long since he'd had a woman, he realized. So long since he'd felt warmth try to revive his dead flesh. His hand wandered past her hips and down her thighs, where it hooked the edge of the fabric and began to drag it upwards.

The woman began to quake and whimper and he couldn't help but release a chuckle. "It'll be over in a moment." He whispered, nipping her earlobe so that it bled. She yelped in surprise and fear, struggling futilely against his superior strength. He hardly acknowledged her thrashing as his free hand roamed upwards, reaching to pull back her loose wavy hair and expose her delicate pale throat.

"Most guys don't brag about speed... Just sayin'." He frowned; with his back to the street he had neglected to notice an intruder approaching. Whoever it was, though, would be easily dispatched. The interruption was nothing more than a nuisance.

He spun slowly to face the unknown voice, his movement partially inhibited by the weight he clung to. "Sapphire!" She cried. He clamped a hand over her mouth to silence the piercing sound.

"Sapphire?" He snorted. Oh, the names the wenches went by in this age. However, as he studied the figure before him he couldn't help but determine it to be a fitting name. Her eyes shone a brilliant blue, even in the near darkness; like glacial lakes they were deep, fathomless. Mesmerizing. He would enjoy watching the life drain out of them in a moment... Perhaps he'd even turn her to watch them fill with life again. "What a pretty name for such a pretty young girl... But I'm sorry, you'll have to wait your turn. Your friend comes first."

"Let her go, freak-show. She's the only one coordinated enough to share the stage with. I _am not_ putting up with another bimbo-in-training." She took a few steps towards him, casually dropping her purse to the ground.

The creature knitted his brows and studied the woman more carefully; she wasn't responding like any mortal should. It concerned him that she wasn't panicking. "Well I'm not sure if she'll appreciate you cutting in line... But I suppose I could make an exception, _Sapphire_." He released the captive stripper and watched in amusement as she scrambled away, leaving her companion behind as she swore she'd come back with the police. Stupid human. "That was my dinner, I hope you know." He informed, feigning disappointment. "I hope you're enough to fill me up instead."

"I'm not on the menu." She replied calmly, kneeling down to unstrap her tall heels and step out of them. She cringed as her feet came into contact with the damp, dirty New York pavement. "Well... Lets do this. I'd like to be in bed before dawn."

The vampire felt suddenly unease; it was rare that mortals challenged him, even rarer that they did it with such confidence. In his long life he'd faced many mortal opponents... The victorious ones were those that managed to escape. When she rose again to her full (though now significantly shorter) height, realization suddenly struck him. He knew now what was off-putting about her. "Guardian." He smiled. They often traveled in packs and were rarely alone... "Where are your companions?" He watched her countenance harden and he could hardly contain himself. "A Rogue? Helping a mortal?" He was tickled. "What a treat. What kind are you?" It wasn't often he encountered Rogues; they preferred to mind their own business, if not team up and create their own havoc.

She held her tongue and was clearly not amused by his taunting. "Never mind, then. I'm sure I'll be able to guess your flavor when I bleed you dry."

"Are you sure you can keep up? You seem pretty cocky for a man that was just bragging about inadequate endurance." She smirked, adopting an offensive stance. The vampire released a low growl and she chuckled. "Come on... Put on your game face."

He complied; his human features contorted in rage before melting away. His teeth and nails sharpened into points, his brown eyes caught ablaze and burned yellow in his skull. He was ready to rip her to pieces. Without another word he lunged forward, counting on his enhanced speed to strike the first (and final) blow. Before he could reach her, however, he watched as she melted into the shadows before his very eyes. He slowed his approach and glanced around frantically, wondering if she had simply retreated.

His answer came in the form of a garbage-can lid. The sturdy aluminum disk caught him at the base of the neck and drove him forward, his own momentum carrying him headlong into a dumpster. He gripped the edges to remain upright and blinked away the stars, preparing himself for his next attack. Before he could right himself the lid closed heavily on his hands and the girl materialized cross-legged on the surface, grinning like a Cheshire cat as an unbearable weight crushed his fingers. "This scene is getting pretty trashy." She joked.

"You would know, whore." He hissed, yanking himself free. In the process of doing such he stripped the skin from his digits, surely taking a few fingernails in the process as well. No matter, he told himself, he would heal in a few hours. The pain would fade, and would pale in comparison to the satisfaction he would feel once he felt her neck snap in his hands.

"I'm an exotic dancer!" The pale girl snarled, clambering to her feet and launching through the air. She landed on his shoulders and wrapped her thighs around his neck before using her weight to carry them both to the ground. He caught himself before he landed but forgot the condition of his hands; he dropped, face-first, to the pavement and wailed when he felt his nose crack. _This is NONSENSE!_ He rolled onto his back and clutched his face. He was being humiliated by a girl wearing tasseled lingerie under a trench coat!

The girl had disappeared again, and he couldn't yet determine what exactly she was supposed to be. Whatever she was he had never encountered one before. "Luckily for me, the dumpster had a busted table in it. That saves me the trouble of decapitating you. Good thing, too. I just spent a fortune on this manicure." She stood just at his feet, testing the sharpness of the splintered table leg.

He did nothing to reveal his panic. In his decades of life he had come closer to death than this, but this experience was quickly catching up. He needed to tip the scales, and quickly. He spied the very lid that she had used against him just within reach and, as she foolishly averted her gaze, he grabbed it and hurled it in her direction. It caught her in the temple and forced her to stumble back, dropping her stake in the process. He was on his feet before it clattered to the ground, his hands closed triumphantly around her throat.

He lifted her effortlessly and hurled her against a steel door, the force of impact causing the light directly above the frame to flicker and sputter. The once smug girl was now dazed and glanced to either side in what he assumed was a search for a weapon. "Knock your noggin too hard, sweetheart? Can't focus well enough to do your disappearing act?" He gloated. He grabbed her by the hair, his long, bony fingers lacing through her raven and fuchsia tresses as he hauled her to eye-level. "I've drained Guardians before... I'm happy to say that you'll be the most memorable one yet."

Because her feet dangled inches above the ground she clung to his wrist, attempting desperately to alleviate some of the pain caused as he suspended her by her hair. Despite her hands being otherwise occupied she still attempted to free herself by kneeing him in the groin. He was, thankfully, able to intercept the blow and pinned his body forcefully against hers in response. "Don't play dirty... Though, again, I'm sure you're very good at that as well." He teased, his rancid breath making her lip curl in disgust.

"Bite me." She spat.

"Happily." He leaned in and traced his tongue across her artery, noting with perverse joy how she recoiled from his touch. The creature bit down lightly, just enough to pierce the skin, and let out a satisfied groan when her blood met his lips. _God._ His eyes rolled back into his head. There was substantial power here, unlike anything he had tasted in decades.

"Drop her."

_God damn it._ He ripped his head away and narrowed his eyes to find another intruder, one he didn't recognize. "In a moment." He snarled, hoping the blood smeared on his face would deter the would-be do-gooder.

"Now." Her dark eyes began to glow a pale yellow, a light seemed to emanate from her own body.

"I thought you were Rogue." He spat as he dropped the pale girl, kicking her solidly in the ribs so she couldn't make a speedy escape. He noticed with satisfaction that he cracked at least a few.

"I am." She groaned, gasping for the air that had been so violently forced from her lungs. He was surprised to hear that she sounded almost as pleased as he was to have been stumbled upon by the new Guardian.

No matter.

He strolled confidently towards the glowing brunette, alert for any signs of foul-play. "She's just a whore, Guardian. Why not let me have her?" He smiled, bloodied teeth flashing in the low light.

"Exotic dancer!" His dinner corrected from behind.

"I can't let you eat the natives, sorry. Stripper or not, she's human. Which means she's under my protection." She was strangely calm, her glowing eyes expressing no emotion.

"EXOTIC DANCER!"

The vampire's brows twitched - how curious. Did she really have no clue whose defense she was coming to? Though he was only afforded a few drops, the stripper tasted of darkness. With her goody-two-shoes attitude he could only assume the Guardian before him was a Light hybrid. The two didn't typically play well together. "Human is such a loose term these days. I mean, you and I could easily be classified as such with the right mask." He smiled. "Doesn't change the fact that we're monsters... And, I guarantee you, Sapphire back there is no more human than you or I."

Her glowing eyes narrowed into slits as her gaze flickered temporarily to the prone Rogue._ Bingo_. He took advantage of the momentary distraction and lunged, intending to choke the life from her. Unlike the first girl that disappeared into thin air, this Guardian merely ducked under his arms. Less mystical, just as effective. He was prepared this time, though; as he stumbled forward he managed to skid to a stop, spinning in time to intercept a boot as it swung towards his face. He gripped her ankle tightly and spun. He hoped to break the bone and incapacitate her – two hybrids in one night would be a meal like he'd never experienced.

The brunette, however, followed through with the motion and allowed herself to be thrown to the ground instead of resisting. Before she could right herself he kicked her in the head, dazing her and causing her to lose temporary control of her limbs. She groaned from her prone position and he flipped her over with his boot before straddling her at the waist. She blinked up at him as the light flickered and ultimately faded from her eyes, revealing the natural caramel that existed beneath. They stared up at him apprehensively and he smirked, famished. He pinned her at the shoulders before leaning down and inhaling her scent; she finally smelled of fear now that she'd lost the upper hand. "I've never had to work so hard for my dinner." He whispered, pulling back to gloat one last time.

"Try harder next time." She wheezed, digging her hand into her pocket and retrieving a small glass vile. He recognized what it was a moment too late, and before he could stop her she managed to shatter it in his face.

He howled and rolled off her, clawing at his face as the Holy Water began to dissolve his eyes in their sockets. It felt as if someone had thrown acid onto him; he could smell his own flesh burning as the seemingly harmless liquid dripped down his face. He was blinded – hopefully only temporarily, but it was enough to render him completely harmless. He needed to escape. Still clutching his face he stumbled to his feet and stumbled towards what he presumed was the street. He didn't make it far.

A sudden pain stabbed through his chest and he reached to find a stake protruding through his front, having been impaled from the back. A fiery sensation consumed him – his temperature rose to an unbearable degree as he felt his limbs begin to pinch and pulse. He forced his eyes open just in time and, despite his compromised vision, watched himself begin to burn up from the outside in as the life drained from his already dead corpse. The Guardian's eyes were glowing again, her face split into a triumphant smirk. He let out one last furious hiss as his vocal cords wafted away, a cloud of ash in the night breeze.

The stake clattered to the ground and Tori wiped her grimy hands furiously on her jeans, wondering briefly if they were, in fact, any cleaner. _They're ruined_. She frowned. A low grunt behind her broke her reverie and she chastised herself for her momentary vanity. The vampire's intended victim needed medical attention… potentially slaying, if she were to take the monster's vague threat as any kind of truth. The Latina approached slowly, cautiously, searching for any signs of foul play.

The girl's face was shielded by her fuchsia-streaked hair. Her long coat had been torn in the struggle and, under the ripped seams and shredded material, Tori saw purple and black bruises already spreading across pale skin. Her chest was heaving with ragged breaths and with one hand she clutched her side, cradling sore ribs. Her other hand was clamped over the wound on her throat, and blood trickled through her fingers as she slid up the door and struggled to stabilize herself on her feet. Her chest shined bright crimson as she righted herself, and Tori took a moment to examine her beneath her injuries.

She appeared human, thankfully. She also appeared like the kind of victim the world wouldn't miss, which was entirely the reason monsters and demons preyed on them in the first place. Those who lived alone in large cities and held positions typically looked down upon were rarely paid any mind when they disappeared. There was something familiar about her pale body, the shapely curves. "Here, um… Sapphire, the hospital isn't too far. Can you walk?" Tori reached for the stripper's elbow to guide her to the safety of the street only to have her recoil violently.

"I don't need your help." She replied thickly. Her words were beginning to slur together, her pale skin paling even further, if it was possible. Had the vampire punctured the artery? If that was the case she was in more danger than Tori originally guessed.

Tori frowned, undeterred. Maybe she was just in shock, that certainly had accounted before for some people's reactions towards rescue situations. "That creep's gone now… You're safe."

"Bullshit." The stripper finally raised her gaze to meet Tori's, which was beginning to narrow in suspicion. "You know there's a nest around here for him to be out this close to dawn. I'm sure they can smell me, too, with how badly I've bled everywhere." The pair stared at one another for a moment before the Latina's jaw dropped.

"Jade."

It had been nearly fifty years since Tori had seen her, but time hadn't marked her in any way. Her pale skin, though covered in grime and blood, was still just as perfect. Her blue eyes were just as vibrant and piercing as the last time she had stared into them – except last time, she recalled, they had been filled with impossible rage and angry tears. Her hair appeared to be the only thing to reflect the time that had passed – her once chestnut locks were no longer visible, dyed nearly black and streaked with vibrant contrast. She was also covered in glitter and smelled like stale bourbon, a sharp reminder that time had indeed past and it was no longer 1957, the year she disappeared. "You're a stripper." Tori greeted dumbly. "Named Sapphire."

"I'm an exotic dancer." Jade spat, tucking her disheveled hair behind her ears. She took a deep breath to bolster herself and stepped unsteadily towards the street, fighting back a grimace that threatened to claim her features.

"You're hurt." Tori reached for her again.

"I'm fine." Her tone froze the younger girl in her tracks, just like it always had, as Jade limped onwards. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Working the streets." Tori replied, face blushing when she realized her mistake. "Working a case." She corrected, earning a narrow gaze from her former companion.

"Alone?"

"For now… I've got scouting duty for a couple of weeks before I send word the others follow." The Latina stepped forward cautiously, keeping what she determined to be an acceptable distance as the pair exited the alley. "Jade, you're really bleeding. Are you sure you don't want to – "

"My apartment's just up here. I can handle it." The pair continued their walk in silence, Jade stalking ahead silently and Tori lagging behind, barely able to contain herself. After all these years… they'd all thought her to be dead. After all, the Brotherhood hadn't even been able to locate her. Tori studied her from behind, wishing desperately she could read the older girl's thoughts. Where had she been all these years? What had she been up to? And then there was the age-old question: why? "That wasn't an invitation to follow me home. You've got a place to stay, I'm sure."

"I just want to make sure…" Tori faltered and shoved her hands nervously into her jacket. "It's been decades, Jade. Aren't you even a little curious about what's happened during that time?"

"Nope." Jade wouldn't even turn to face her.

The brunette frowned and slowed her pace, wounded. Where was this anger coming from, and why was it directed towards her? She knew they hadn't ever really gotten along – they weren't ever really meant to; servants to Eris and Pax, Roman goddesses of Discord and Peace, their particular magickal ancestors had been vicious rivals. Jade's forbearers spread panic and chaos wherever they settled, living off the life-force they absorbed from it. Tori's instilled peace and tranquility, and were drawn to chaos in order to settle it. The species never cohabited, it simply wasn't in their nature; they repulsed one another.

Being hybrids the animosity had never reached that intensity and, in fact, Jade had more of a problem with Tori than Tori did Jade. Everyone had always ascribed it to her Dark nature, convinced it was just the demon inside causing strife for the sake of it. But it didn't seem that way to Tori; it didn't appear to be an instinctive, animalistic disdain. There seemed to be a depth to it, something Jade agonized over internally that she hadn't yet pinpointed. Over the years they learned to cohabitate with one another, to tolerate for the sake of the mission. Tori had just found herself enjoying her company when Jade had disappeared…

"Well, I'm curious." Tori admitted, newly resolved to discover the truth. "Where have you been all these years?"

"Vega." The pair arrived at a rundown brownstone underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Traffic rumbled overhead, nearly drowning out Jade's words. Her tone, however, was unmistakable as always. "Thanks for the rescue. It was great seeing you. Kindly extract yourself from my life. Go play in traffic for all I care." She dug through her purse for her keys and cursed when her shoes slipped from her hand. Tori bent down quickly to retrieve them so the injured girl wouldn't have to exert anymore than she had to. "Damn it, Vega." She snatched them away and glared angrily at her.

Tori huffed. It wasn't often she became angry; it only usually happened around Jade, honestly, and she wondered if it wasn't a passive side-effect of Jade's ability to imbue those who surrounded her with chaotic and unstable emotions. Or maybe active side-effect… she honestly wouldn't put it past the mischievous girl. "Look, _Sapphire_," She snapped. "I'm not sure what crawled up your butt and died but, like it or not, I found you. I think you owe it to me to answer – "

"I don't owe you anything." Jade snarled, stomping up the short staircase to her door. She dropped her keys again as she tried to shove them into the lock, her hands slick with her own blood. In frustration she pounded her head against the thick wood of the door. "Go back to your _mission_, that's the most important thing after all. Forget you found me and I'll do the same and we can both go back to our regular existence." She demanded before bending down to grab her keys once again.

She froze in the bent over position and her body began to rock unsteadily. "Jade?" Tori ventured, taking a worried step towards her friend.

"Just … leave me…" Jade breathed raggedly. Her eyes flashed an iridescent silvery-blue for just a moment before they rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed heavily onto the stoop. She rolled down the stairs painfully and landed in a graceless heap at Tori's feet, completely unconscious.

The Latina cursed in Spanish and knelt down to check her pulse, relieved to find it, weak though it was. She glanced around nervously – dawn would be here soon, which went they would more than likely be getting unwanted company. They were too far from Tori's current residence, not with Jade injured and bleeding like she was. She needed bed rest and medical attention sooner rather than later. _That only leaves… _Tori glanced apprehensively at Jade's keys. The older girl would kill her for letting herself into her apartment, even if it was to save her ass.

Tori chewed on her lip, gaze darting between the keys on the pavement and the unconscious girl in her arms whose neck was still dribbling blood from two nasty puncture wounds. It was the obvious choice, one she'd probably pay hell for later.

"Quite literally _pay hell_." Tori mumbled to herself, snatching the keys and quickly unlocking the door before returning and awkwardly hauling Jade to her feet and half-dragging, half-carrying the half-demon inside.

Tori found Jade's apartment easily enough by checking the mailboxes and managed to get the girl into bed without encountering too many problems. She stripped the bedclothes from a nearby pillowcase and tore it into strips to use as a tourniquet, and pressed the fabric to the wound with some force as she glanced around the meager dwelling. Kitchen, livingroom, and bedroom were all one open space, a small door off to the side led to what Tori could only assume was the bathroom. It was sufficient… barely. But certainly not anything she could see Jade choosing to live in. It had a feeling to it that made Tori's skin prickle and crawl anxiously.

After some time the Guardian peeled away the saturated strips of material to examine the wound; the bleeding had slowed, thankfully. She wandered away from the bed for a moment and dug around the bathroom cabinets and the pantries in search for any kind of medicine to sterilize the wound. She should, in theory, be perfectly fine, but Tori didn't want to risk it. The best she could find was a handle of expensive vodka, which she herself took a big gulp of before dousing the clean fabric with before applying it once again to Jade's throat. The pale girl didn't stir even though Tori knew the alcohol was stinging and burning her neck as it was her own throat and stomach.

"Just what have you been up to this whole time?" Tori cocked her head to the side and studied the unconscious girl, searching her silent features for some kind of answer, some clue. As always Jade's expression was unreadable, though Tori wasn't sure what truth she expected to gleam from her as she slept. She contemplated leaving, just as Jade had demanded, but decided against it. She _was_ still wounded, after all, and could need Tori's help when she awoke. She walked away from the bed and tugged her cell-phone out of her pocket, chewing her lip when a message from Cat flashed across the scene.

_Make it to town okay? How's the big apple? : )_

Tori's fingers hovered over the keypad. Should she tell her? Their companions would descend upon this place with lightning speed if she did, and the Brotherhood would follow shortly behind them to interrogate her of her whereabouts the last fifty years. She sighed; Jade didn't need that, not now. Not until she was better, at least… not that it was really Tori's decision. Right?

Or was it? Jade had walked out on her family as far as she was concerned. Didn't they need to finally deserve some peace of mind? She flipped her dark hair over her shoulders as she glanced again at Jade and her conscience won out. No… it wasn't her decision.

_Yup! Just got settled. The big apple's all big and apple-y._ She tapped in reply before tossing the device onto the coffee table and collapsing onto the couch across from it and staring blankly at the ceiling. She had bought them some time; at some point she knew she'd have to check in with her team, and she knew herself well enough to know that she would probably ultimately slip up or be so consumed by guilt she revealed Jade's existence. She just hoped she could get a few answers before it arrived at that point.

As she sat there on the couch, staring at the cracks in the ceiling, Tori realized she was angry. Angry at Jade for abandoning them when they had just lost one of their own the night before, angry that she hadn't given them any clue as to where she had disappeared to, angry that not once in over fifty years did she ever _once _contact them. Jade had done exactly what everyone had bet she would do – go Rogue – and it stirred within Tori feelings that had long been buried after decades failed to resolve the issues. She was livid, wounded, and determined to get a well-deserved explanation from the girl.

Hell, if things went well enough maybe she could convince the former Guardian to assist her on the job that had brought her here in the first place. She had a feeling, based on accounts pouring in from her circles, that she could need all the help she could get to fight back whatever Darkness this was growing in the belly of this city. Tori could only hope that, despite Jade's instincts, she still had enough good in her to care about the fate of innocents.

After all, Jade's soul had been fused with something snatched from the Darkness; Tori had seen before the results of what happened when a Dark spirit managed to overpower the body, mind, and soul it was encased in. She prayed it hadn't happened to someone she had once considered an ally, a friend.

There was no way to tell now, though. Not while Jade was unconscious. After all, even lions can look innocent enough while they sleep. It doesn't mean they won't maul your face as soon as they wake up.

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**I made Jade a stripper. You. Are. _Welcome_. **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I have no notes. I'm just tired. But I still love you guys. :3**

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"Beck!" Her voice was drowned under the sound of an explosion rumbling deep within the old oil refinery. The ground underneath her feet shook and cracked; the fire had reached the underground fuel reservoirs. This whole place was about to go up like a match head, and they were perched right on the tip.

"Go on!" He waved, having already turned and retreated towards the entrance. "Robbie's still in there! Get Cat out of here!"

The girl in question was suspended between her and Andre, dazed and losing a troubling amount of blood from a deep laceration on her forehead. Crimson streaked down her face in thick torrents and dripped onto her already filthy and shredded attire. She had suffered the worst of the injuries, as far as they all knew. Their group had stumbled upon a nest of vampires and they had swarmed like a nest of angry hornets. They had been forced to scatter, to each lure a few creatures away to dispatch them by their own means. It wasn't any kind of situation they hasn't encountered before, and they often used to make it a competition of sorts (Jade, of course, usually being the winner). The only difference this time was that it had come as a complete surprise, one they weren't fully prepared for.

The decision was made to retreat; they were too badly injured at this point to continue. Jade watched as Cat narrowly avoided being decapitated, the vampire's long claws raking her face instead at the last moment. Cat managed to lay her hands on his bare flesh, her hands igniting in a white-hot blaze and engulfing him in flames. _Point for the fire-sprite._ She tallied with a grim smirk. The victory was short lived; as the young Guardian attempted to flee she was caught off guard and took a fist to the jaw. She dropped like a sack of bricks to the unforgiving floor and lay motionless; Jade heard her head crack against the concrete from across the room.

She wrenched herself free from her attackers and sprinted to Cat's aid, checking first for a pulse before hauling her to her feet. Jade was stronger than most of her team and had little difficulty dragging the girl from the fray. "Come on, kitten. Time to bow out." She huffed.

"Wait." Cat groaned as they passed a tall fuel silo. Jade shook her head in confusion before realization set in and a smile crept across her face. The whole place reeked of old gasoline... If they could find an ignition point they could send the whole place up and, hopefully, the nest with it. The redhead summoned the last of her energy and Jade felt her weight slouch away as she forced herself to stand on her own. She ripped off the sleeve of her shirt and balled it in her hand until smoke snaked between her fingers and skywards in thin tendrils. She weakly lobbed the miniature fireball up and into an open panel in the tank before sagging against her friend again, her head rolling weakly to the side. "Now would be a good time to leave." She mumbled.

Jade didn't need to be told twice. "Get ready for fireworks!" She yelled over the din, advising her companions that retreat was no longer an option. As if on cue the container bellowed with sound as the surrounding air was sucked in to feed the sudden explosion; it wasn't long before they were licking at the tin roof.

Confident the rest of the team would make it out Jade continued to haul the nearly unconscious girl towards the door, the vampires thankfully preoccupied with saving their possessions and injured companions before their sanctuary burned down around them. The flames, however, spread quickly in the old building saturated with oil and fuel. By the time Jade made it to the exit she felt dry, parched... She was definitely sporting some blisters from the intense heat. Tori and Andre had made it out just seconds before her and neither of them appeared to be in spectacular condition, though Andre did move quickly to assist her when he realized she alone was supporting Cat's dead weight.

Jade glanced around frantically for Beck, just as she always had when situations got a little out of hand. She released a sigh of relief from her smoke-filled lungs, thankful he seemed to avoid too serious of injuries. Brows knitted he stared anxiously into the growing flames, worry etched across his features. Without word he broke into a sprint back towards the entrance, urging her to get out of range of the explosion as he went in search for Robbie. All attempts to call beckon him back had been ignored…

"We need to go, Jade." Tori's voice was calm, just as it usually was when situations began to spiral out of control. It was an irritating trait, one Jade didn't know to which soul she should contribute it.

"Beck just ran back inside!" She argued, shrugging the girl's blood-stained hand from her shoulder. The half-demon had realized long ago that touch was the most potent way of transmitting those "feel-good mind-fuck" vibes that Jade disdained.

"He'll be okay... We need to get Cat out of here. She's going to bleed out." Tori reasoned. Jade frowned and tore her gaze away from the conflagration to study Cat's paling form. Tori was right... But what about Beck? What if he needed assistance when he finally reappeared? "Jade, please." Tori urged, a hint of panic finally tainting her voice when the ground suddenly sunk into a deep crevasse mere feet from them.

With a huff the older girl complied and the trio hurried as quickly as they could away from the growing flames.

_**BOOM**_

The impact from the shockwave nearly knocked all of them to the ground. Jade tore herself away from Cat, away from the safety of the treeline they had almost reached.

"Beck!" Jade screamed. The structure, what remained of it, was in shambles. "Beck!" She dashed towards the carnage, each step feeling like she was running through molasses. The building appeared to be shrinking before her. "Beck!" Her voice seemed distant, echoing. There was a ringing in her ears ... Was that from the explosion? Or a different kind of shock? "Beck!" The scene before her, though illuminated by massive flames, seemed to dim and flicker...

"Beck!" Jade sat up in bed and searched frantically around the room. It took a few solid seconds to realize where she was, a few longer to determine just how she had managed to get here with practically no memory. "Tori." She scowled.

The Latina in question stood in her kitchen, refrigerator door in one hand and a jar of peanut butter in the other. A spoon dangled from her mouth as surprise dropped her jaw, nearly causing it tumble out. Her brown eyes were wide, anxious, and then Laden with guilt as she realized shed been caught snacking without permission. She snatched the spoon from her mouth and smiled awkwardly. "Peana-budder?" She offered thickly, holding out the jar and shaking it enticingly. She swallowed audibly as she tried to force down the mouthful quickly.

Jade glared at her despite her mild amusement - that jar was easily four months old. She wasn't sure if peanut butter could expire but she desperately hoped that it could and it had. She rolled her eyes and eased herself back onto the mattress as she quickly became aware of a throbbing in her torso. She lifted her shirt and craned her neck to find a rainbow of bruises marring her ivory skin. She frowned; even with her better-than-average healing she wouldn't be heading into work for the rest of the week... And with rent due soon. Jade sighed. It was going to be another month she had to just barely scrape by or ask her co-workers for a loan...

The injured girl reached absently for her throat and fingered the bandages there, prodding the raised, angry skin that lay beneath. Puncture wounds were a bitch.

"You've got a few broken ribs... and I'm not sure but you might need stitches." Tori explained from the foot of the bed. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"No." She snipped, drawing the covers up to her armpits.

"Would you like me to summon a healer?"

"**NO**!" Jade exploded. "I want you out of my apartment!"

Tori flinched visibly at the sudden outburst and crossed her arms, as if she was attempting to protect herself from any following attack. "I'm not leaving until I know you're going to be okay." She replied calmly, eyes flickering to the bandage. "You need to calm down. Your blood pressure is going to reopen that wound."

"Stop reading me." Jade scowled. Another of Tori's infuriating abilities consisted of empathy. The girl could sense emotions like a shark could sense a drop of blood; she felt as if she had no privacy around the younger hybrid. In the years they had been teammates Tori had appointed herself their unofficial "mother hen," always shoving her nose into everyone's business because she literally could not help but know what they were feeling. She paid special attention to Jade; her moods were always the most tumultuous, her attitude always dark.

"I'm not reading you." Tori huffed. She tilted her chin up almost imperceptibly, an unconscious act of pride. "I've gotten better at controlling it these last 30 years... I can turn it off now at will. I'm just not stupid, Jade. You have an angry vein throbbing on your head." She tapped her index near her temple to indicate its location. Jade slapped a hand over her forehead and narrowed her blue eyes.

"Well I'm glad to see you finally learned to keep it in your pants, so to speak."

Tori rolled her eyes. "Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor." An awkward silence settled between them. "So... You're a str..." She trailed off when Jade's eyes flashed dangerously. "Exotic dancer."

"Excellent observation, Miss Vega!" Jade drawled.

"I don't talk like that anymore!" Tori scowled. She had been summoned in the 1920s; Jade knew she couldn't have helped but to have the stereotypical Californian flapper dialect, but it was too hilarious to not ridicule. Jade was thankful that trend had been a brief one, and that Tori had quickly realized she sounded like a fool. "I haven't seen you in decades. Would it kill you to be civil?"

"It just might."

"I might kill you first if you keep it up." The Latina huffed under her breath, spinning on her heel and returning to the kitchen to retrieve the peanut butter.

Jade's brows twitched in amusement. "I thought you said you had that empathy under control?" She hauled herself upright once again and propped herself up against the headboard. "Channeling my emotions, Vega?"

"No, actually. Did you ever consider the potentiality that you might just be frustrating as hell sometimes? I mean, hell, I saved your life last night and you've been nothing but a total gank to me." Tori dragged a chair from the kitchen and slung it towards the foot of the bed before collapsing into it and propping her bare feet up on the mattress. She dug the spoon violently into the jar and shoved it into her mouth, musing angrily at the wall. "And when was the last time you went grocery shopping? Your fridge is completely empty."

"I get free food at the club." Jade defended. "And I prefer to eat out."

"You're over a hundred years old and still having figured out how to cook?" It was Tori's turn to smirk.

"Bite me."

"I'm too late. Someone already did… And on that note, you need to eat. What's good in this town? I'm ordering dinner for us and I don't want you griping about it." She dug her phone from her pocket and looked at her expectantly.

Jade sighed and decided it wasn't worth arguing at this point – she was famished anyway. "There's a little restaurant down the block that has a decent vegetarian menu." Tori rarely ate meat, a change brought about after her soul's union with Pax's peaceful servant.

"Excellent. What about you? Do you want a burger or something? You still eat them rare, right?" She was already dialing the number when Jade interrupted.

"I'll just have what you're having." She examined her nail beds as she avoided Tori's curious gaze. Jade used to be largely carnivorous before striking out on her own; after doing her own research on the Phonoi, the demon soul fused with her own, she discovered a few unsettling facts about them – mainly that they fed upon the flesh and blood of their victims. From that day on she maintained a strict (well, mostly strict) vegetarian diet in attempts to starve and weaken the dark force thrashing within her. She found that it sometimes helped quell her often explosive rage and find moments of peace that she had been denied since her summoning.

She could certainly use a moment of peace right now. The very sight of the Latina lounging in her apartment was dragging up memories and making her temper difficult to contain. Old habits die hard, she supposed. Jade needed a break, needed fresh air; she gripped the sheets until her knuckles paled as she forced her protesting body to the edge of the bed.

"Whoa, where do you think you're going?"

"I need – "

"Let me get whatever you need. You should stay in bed." Tori rose to her feet and stepped closer to the bed, effectively blocking Jade's escape.

"I need to pee." Jade retorted plainly.

Tori blinked. "Oh." She shifted to the side and permitted the injured girl passage.

Jade ignored her proffered hand and hauled herself stiffly to her feet, shuffling past the younger girl on her way to the bathroom. As she passed her nightstand she grabbed a pack of cigarettes and tucked them against her body, screwing her eyes towards the ceiling in a silent prayer that the Latina didn't notice. Thankfully Tori had taken to fluffing her pillows and smoothing her sheets and wasn't paying attention. Jade pushed the bathroom door to gently and leaned against it, thankful to be out of the harshly lit main room; there was only one small half window above her toilet and, after a certain point in the afternoon, the sun disappeared behind the buildings surrounding hers and effectively plunged the room into near darkness.

Darkness is where Jade West thrived.

She closed her eyes and exhaled as she positioned herself in the darkest corner of the small room, mentally picturing the alleyway just on the other side of that wall and four stories down. Her skin began to tingle and pinch, a sudden wave of vertigo washed over her and made her ears pop. When she opened her eyes again she was on the street, tucked safely away from the view of pedestrians by a large green dumpster. She exhaled and squinted one eye shut, forcing her world to stop spinning. Her weakened body had not appreciated the exertion required to teleport, especially not while the sun still lingered in the horizon.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and furrowed her brows, willing the unsteadiness to steady and the nausea to fade. Satisfied, she flipped open the pack and pulled out a cigarette with her lips and lit up. She tilted her head back as a new kind of dizziness consumed her, a welcome kind. Nicotine. Even after a century and some years on this earth it was still easily her favorite thing society offered.

Jade leaned against the cool brick and shivered, only then realizing she was still in her ruined work clothes, ripped and stained with her own blood. She flicked ash as she stared towards the street and studied those passers-by that hadn't noticed her presence in the shadows. She wondered what else they hadn't noticed, what else they were oblivious to... How close they'd all come to death and not even realize it. Jade's mind quickly flashed to Ruby, the coworker she had saved last night. She'd have to make sure to call her soon...

A flash of neon caught her attention and Jade's pale eyes narrowed as she watched a delivery boy jog across the street towards her building. _Will._ She smiled, extinguishing her cigarette against the dumpster before moving to intercept him. "Delivery boy!" She called, catching him just seconds before he buzzed her apartment.

"Oh! Hey Jade! Haven't gotten your order in a while, I was worried you went carnivore on - " He paused when he turned to face her, concern replacing the flirtatious sparkle in his eyes. "Dude..."

Her outfit. Jade mentally cursed her forgetfulness and forced a smile. "I finally landed an acting gig," she lied and she tucked a few strands of blood-caked hair behind her ear. "Just got out of rehearsal... I was hoping to have gotten a shower before you showed up."

Will was staring intently at the bandage on her throat. "Some kind of horror thing?" He cleared his throat nervously.

"Something like that." She smiled again, stepping forward and brushing her fingers against his briefly as she reached for his bags. She watched in concealed amusement as his eyes dilated and his skin goose-pimpled. Her powers worked in a similar fashion as Tori's... Just a simple touch could incite unmanageable inner turmoil that often resulted in explosive consequences. War. Murder. Pillaging. General panic and rioting.

Jade was, essentially, chaos incarnate.

She waited until he disappeared before retreating back to her hiding spot by the dumpster and focusing intently on that spot in her bathroom she'd just materialized from. The next thing she became aware of was a knocking on the door next to her, the knob jiggling impatiently. "Jade?" Tori's voice was thick with concern.

Jade swung the door open without notice, nearly knocking over her caretaker. "Here." She shoved the plastic bag into Tori's hands and limped towards the kitchen to retrieve pain-killers.

"What?" She fumbled with the containers. "Where'd this..." Realization soured her features. "Seriously? I said bed rest, not shadow-jumping." She unknotted the bag and placed the contents at the table, opening one to pick at the salad within. "You're going to hurt yourself." She reprimanded through a mouthful of lettuce.

"Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it." Jade replied dryly, tossing back a handful of aspirin. She returned to the table and eased herself down, not waiting for Tori to join her. She shoveled a forkful into her mouth and savored the first morsel that had passed her lips in well over a day. She ate ravenously, paying no mind to the Latina across from her as she picked at her meal.

"You probably should have gotten a burger. The red meat would have been good for you after losing that much blood…" Tori commented.

"Wasn't feeling it." Jade snapped, stabbing a cucumber with a fork and examining it. Her gaze refocused on the brunette behind the food and they shared a tense stare. "Got a problem with it?"

"With that? No."

"Oh." She dropped the utensil and steeped her fingers below her chin. "And what exactly do you have a problem with, Vega?" She had a feeling their forced civility was about to crumble over dinner.

"Well, I can't ignore your piss-poor attitude, Jade." Her eyes flashed brilliantly and she blinked rapidly, trying to subdue her flaring temper. Jade smirked – it seemed her personality was more contagious than Tori remembered.

"Not like it's anything new."

"Well I was hoping I'd get a better greeting than pure contempt after I saved your life." Jade blinked at her, unimpressed with her argument. "And it's been fifty years, damn it. Fifty years of complete silence. You know we all think you're dead, right?"

"Good." Jade interrupted bitterly.

"No, Jade, not _good_." She scowled. "Cat was an emotional wreck for years after you left. We all were. It didn't make sense… we thought it was a suicide mission. We thought you went back looking for the vampires. We went back looking for you. We almost got ourselves killed in the process."

The pale girl frowned and stabbed a tomato violently. "Well it seems everyone came out unscathed. Robin Hood and her merry men lived to fight another day."

Tori threw down her fork. "God, you're so ungrateful."

"I don't see any reason to align myself to outdated social conventions. You did what was right because it was right, not because you like me and not because you want my gratuity. Why should I give it to you?"

"Because… Ugh! Why is it that anytime we're around each other it always ends in a fight?"

"You know exactly why." Jade's eyes flashed angrily.

"Just because our ancestors were enemies doesn't mean we have to be!" She sighed.

The half-demon didn't reply; she had hoped, after decades to reflect, that Tori might have figured it out. She returned her gaze to her dinner and shook her head; their heritage was only part of the issue. A small part, as far as she considered. Yes, it made it difficult to get along – Jade had always taken great pleasure in tormenting her companion. That night at the factory had damaged their relationship, had damaged all of their relationships.

They weren't repairable. Not in her opinion. Not then, and not now. It was one of the reasons she'd left.

"I'd like to be your friend, Jade. That's all I've ever tried to be." Her voice was soft, wounded. Blue eyes rolled skyward and the older girl huffed.

"No you don't. Trust me. I'm a bad guy, remember? A Rogue. You're technically supposed to bring me to the Brotherhood, according to protocol."

Tori shook her head and Jade narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "No… not yet, anyway." She admitted. "Only if I can conclude you're a danger to the public and, based on last night, I'd say you're not."

"Does that mean you'll be getting out of my life anytime soon?" She didn't try to disguise the hope in her voice.

Tori shook her head again. "No." Jade groaned. "Not yet." She called over the noise. "Last night doesn't tell me much, just that you don't like vampires. And, lets face it, who does? I should keep an eye on you for a few days… make sure you're not sacrificing virgins at an altar to Eris."

"Well, not an altar to _Eris_." Jade commented absently. She smirked as Tori visibly balked. "Oh my God, take a joke."

"I can't tell when you're joking." She frowned. "It's not like your kind haven't … the Phonoi used to eat people, Jade."

"The only people I've eaten lately seemed to have enjoyed it." She winked at the prudish girl and flashed a wolfish smile, making an obvious point to roam her eyes down the Latina's lithe form.

"You've eaten – oh… you've… you've eaten. People." A deep flush stained her cheeks and she averted her gaze. "But not _eaten_ people, right?" Jade smirked again. "Stop that!"

Jade laughed, an unfamiliar sound to even her. "Do you really feel the need to babysit me for a few days? You won't just take me on my word that I'm not supplementing my diet with the flesh and blood of the living?"

"Sorry. I can't bring myself to completely disregard protocol. I want to make sure you're safe."

"I don't believe you're really sorry."

"I'm not." Tori smiled. "It'll give us time to catch up… and who knows, maybe I can convince you to come home. Plus I could use some help on this case; having someone with your skills on my side would make me feel safer in this big city all alone."

"You aren't worried I'm going to eat you?" The Latina shook her head confidently. "What about _eating _you?"

"Jade!"

The girl in question snickered and leaned back in her chair. "Fine. I'll help you out this time, God knows you need it. But once it's done I want you out of my life, and you better keep your mouth shut about having found me." She pushed herself upright and limped towards her closet, dragging a duffel bag from the top shelf and tossing it on her bed.

"What are you doing?"

"You and I are _not_ sharing this cramped space. I'll destroy you. Besides, if the Brotherhood's putting you up on their dime it's going to be much nicer accommodations than this. If you insist on being my shadow I insist you provide lodging… and food. And booze." She grabbed an armful of recently cleaned (though unfolded) laundry and shoved it in her bag. "Are you going to give me a hand or just stand there?"

Tori jumped to her feet and grabbed the pair of jeans hurled in her direction, folding them neatly and placing them on the bed. She dumped the contents of the suitcase out as well and set about folding and organizing it. Jade returned to the bed and eased herself down, watching as her delicate hands moved quickly across her laundry. "Hey, Jade?" Tori glanced up at her, a small smile tugging on the corner of her lips. "Thanks for the help… I'm glad knowing you've still got my back after all these years."

Jade didn't reply, choosing instead to retreat further up the bed and lie back. She was not pleased with the current situation – she didn't take well to being blackmailed – but she was going to take as much advantage of the situation as she could. She had to play just nice enough to get Tori out of her hair before she could go back to her normal life, a life away from the Guardians, away from the Brotherhood, away from the family unit that had been forced upon her.

Jade couldn't belong in any family; it hadn't been an option since the day she had been summoned and that demon soul had been united with her own. Monsters didn't get to have families – people ran _from_ her, not _to_ her. She didn't blame them; she would run too. She _had_ run.

She'd been running for fifty years now.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: You guys seem to like this :O ... awesome! Glad to please. Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you.**

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Tori bit her lip and clenched her fist in an attempt to quell the urge to assist Jade as she struggled down the sidewalk; she had insisted upon carrying her own bag and walking without any kind of support and the fatigue was beginning to show. _The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak_. She mused, noting how a light shined in her eyes despite her physical struggle. It seemed nightfall had revitalized her… or maybe it had been the shot of vodka she'd taken right before they walked out the door. She shifted her duffel bag for the fifteenth time and grunted as it bounced against her tender rib cage."We're almost there." Tori promised, turning her gaze quickly to the passers-by when Jade glared. It didn't help that their trek was through a crowded Brooklyn neighborhood and people kept jostling and otherwise slowing their pace. Their dual presence seemed to be having an odd effect on the densely populated area – all around them Tori sensed internal conflict. She wondered if Jade could sense it too.

Judging by the thin smile that had claimed her lips she guessed she could.

"Up here on the left." Tori nodded to an older building on the corner, one that certainly wouldn't have attracted Jade's attention if it hadn't been pointed out.

"What room?"

"814… That one on the corner. It's got a really nice view of – Jade?" The older girl was gone, her bag having been abandoned at Tori's feet. The Latina frowned and whipped her head around, frantically brushing away the loose curls as they obscured her vision. Where'd she go?

Sudden movement in her room caught her attention – a light clicked on – and Tori squinted into the distance. Jade appeared in the window seconds later, wagging her fingers before dropping the blinds and disappearing once again. Tori groaned and retrieved her bag before adopting a brisk pace to the building, hoping no one had noticed her little disappearing act.

By the time she arrived at her room Jade had effectively made herself at home. She'd kicked off her heavy combat boots at the foot of the bed and draped herself across it, her face buried in clean sheets. "You could have taken me with you." Tori huffed, dropping the bag by the door and pulling off her own shoes.

"Are you kidding me? I barely got myself here. I landed in 714 first and nearly gave the cleaning lady a heart attack." Came her muffled reply.

"If you're too weak to jump why didn't you just stay with me?"

"I was tired of walking… and I'm pretty sure we were about to cause some kind of riot on the street. Did you see that guy break down into hysterics?"

Tori frowned and settled into a chair by the bed, twirling a curl anxiously around her finger. So Jade had been fully aware of the effect they were having on the mortals. "So … you were just projecting for fun, then?" Causing havoc for the hell of it wasn't a good sign.

"No, Vega. Unlike you, apparently, I don't have the ability to rein it in. If you were so worried why didn't _you_ stop projecting butterflies and rainbows?" She rolled over onto her side and stared at her pointedly.

"… I felt like confusion was a better option than a full on insurrection… And what do you mean you can't control it?" She tried to recall back to their days as teammates; the only times she could recall Jade losing control of her empathy was when her mood darkened remarkably, and even then it had little effect on hybrids. "You used to be able to. I remember meditation helped."

"Well, who has time for meditation these days." Jade dismissed.

Tori studied her curiously. "Are you purposefully projecting?" A smirk ghosted across the older girl's face. "You are! Jade!"

"Oh, calm down." The half-demon huffed. "I work in a strip club. Projecting a little recklessness gets me better tips for half the work. It's not like I'm inciting prison riots." She stared at Tori's hands as slender fingers drummed anxiously on her armrest. "But apparently I'm ruffling your feathers. What's wrong, angel? Haven't had the misfortune of being around another chaos demon these past few decades? Losing your grip on your sanity?"

"No." Tori pushed herself to her feet and retreated to the small kitchenette. She ducked her head to search through the fridge and retrieved a bottle of water. "Just trying to figure you out is all."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Irritation laced her voice.

"You used to hate being around mortals… now you're a stripper and – oh, don't give me that look." Jade's nostrils flared and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Now you're giving them lap dances and abusing your powers."

"I've got to make a living somehow, Vega. It's not like I'm suited for an office job."

"You were making a living with us. You had a calling, a mission." She hardly recognized her own voice; it hadn't been that cold, that harsh, in many years.

"_Their_ calling. _Their_ mission. Humanitarianism doesn't exactly run in my blood now, does it? No one ever asked me what I wanted… I had plans, you know? My life was just beginning when someone shoved a demon in me. It doesn't exactly make me want to be a team player." Jade retorted bitterly.

Tori didn't reply and the two stared each other down. Jade was the first to break eye contact, returning to her face-down position on the bed. Silence consumed the room and the only sound that interrupted it was the steady tick of the clock on the wall. Tori stared hard at the water bottle in her hands. She had never considered that anyone would have a different opinion other than her own as far as their calling was concerned. It was naive, she supposed. But none of her teammates had ever expressed anything other than dedication to their cause. They were happy to help and many considered it an honor to be chosen by their particular spirit from the void. They welcomed the union and embraced their duties. They were proud of the position they held.

Tori had come from a family of humanitarians. Her father had been a police officer, her mother a social worker. Her older sister had married a man of God; the pair had died on a mission trip to South America. She had grown up helping others, serving their needs. It made her happy and, on the day that wonderful spirit had entered her, she felt as if she'd been given the means to fulfill her destiny.

She had never stopped to consider how it might make someone feel when a Dark entity chose them as a vessel.

She knew very little of Jade's past. She was the oldest of their group by almost a decade and never spoke of her life before being chosen. Not to her, anyway. Not to anyone besides Beck, the youngest of their team. Those two had developed a strong bond almost immediately after discovering they shared a similar lot in life – Beck had been hybridized with an Incubus, a lesser demon, though known for being just as nasty when they walked the earth. He was the only other Dark hybrid in their team, and apparently the only one Jade felt safe enough with to open up to. Though Beck struggled with his primal nature he seemed to handle his calling better than Jade and often acted as a liaison between the irritable woman and the rest of their "family." He was her person she could always rely on to understand her.

And then he was gone.

Tori remembered that moment like it was yesterday – it had been the strongest empathic blast she'd ever felt, no doubt a combination of Jade's ability to project emotions and Tori's ability to read them. The grief had nearly knocked her off her feet. That was the day Jade, normally so guarded and protective of her emotional state, had completely dropped her guard. A torrent of anguish, rage, and terror had washed over her, swallowed her, drowned her. It felt as if the life had been sucked out of her.

It felt like she could never be happy again.

The moment was brief; the feelings disappeared as quickly as they had come, like a devastating tsunami retreating back to the ocean. But it gave Tori an intimate glimpse into Jade's psyche, one she had never admitted to experiencing. In that one moment she developed a strong (unintentional) bond with Jade – part of the half-demon lodged herself in Tori's mind. She had attempted to discuss it with her companion but the girl retreated into herself; she had become practically catatonic when they had dragged her away from the burning building. Tori had poked and prodded at her mind with her own but found it completely impenetrable.

The next morning Jade was gone.

Fifty years later and Tori felt like she was staring at a ghost. She felt the bond she thought to be permanently severed begin to hum and tingle with life within her. She wondered if Jade could feel it too, and wondered if she could use it to better understand the girl that had, for so long, been an enigma to her. Tentatively she reached out with her mind, studying the dark and tumultuous aura that surrounded the half-demon.

"If you don't stop poking around I'm going to pop your head like a zit." Jade threatened. Her voice, though calm, carried with it the weight of certainty. It wasn't an empty threat. Tori retreated and threw up her walls, effectively caging her empathy. With an exasperated sigh she grabbed another water bottle and returned to her chair, rolling the unopened one towards her companion.

"If I can't use my powers you can't use yours. Why don't you try meditating a bit so your sour mood doesn't completely infect mine." Tori huffed, snatching a book off the table behind her and flipping it to her bookmark. "I'm not a client, I'm not going to pay you for making me a little unstable."

Jade rolled her eyes against her pillow and turned her back to Tori, choosing instead to stare at the patterned wall than converse any more with the cranky Latina next to her. They shared no words for well over an hour, with Jade drifting in and out of a medication-induced sleep. An angry buzzing jarred her from her slumber and she grappled for her phone blindly in a frantic effort to stop the offensive sound. She forced a single eye open and groaned in protest when her manager's number flashed across the screen. "Donny, I can explain." She began.

"You're thirty minutes late!" She could hear the clamor of bar behind him.

"I'm aware, but I've got a good excuse this time. I need – "

"I don't care what your excuse is this time. I need you to get down here and shake your ass – Ruby hasn't shown up either and the clientele is getting pissed!"

Jade frowned. "Ruby's not there?"

"Did I stutter? I've been trying her cell and it's going straight to voicemail. If you two aren't down here in the next twenty minutes – "

"You won't fire us because the nights I work are your best nights. I'm taking a few days off, dude. I'll call you tomorrow." She disconnected the line before he could launch into another tirade and pushed herself upright, combing her fingers through her knotted tresses as she thought. She should have called Ruby last night after the vampire had been taken care of. She _knew_ there was probably a nest around. She had been so distracted with Tori's arrival Ruby's well-being had completely slipped her mind.

"What is it?"

"Did you see another girl running for her life last night? Blonde hair? Ruby stilettos?" Jade inquired.

"Not that I can recall… Friend of yours?"

Jade chewed on her lip and scooted towards the foot of the bed to put on her boots. She had to find Ruby; it worried her that Tori hadn't stumbled across her last night. Had she even made it home? "Something like that." She pushed herself to her feet and swallowed a yawn. "I'm going out for a while."

"What's going on?" Tori stood and tossed her book onto the bed.

"Nothing, probably." She lied. She just didn't want Tori meddling in her affairs; she was trying to keep the Guardian as far away from her life as possible. "Just need to check on someone."

"Do you need any help?"

"No."

"But you're wounded. If you run into trouble – "

"I won't." Jade brushed past her to click off the lamp on the counter, the only source of light in the room. "It's probably nothing anyway." The pair was plunged into darkness and Jade turned to face Tori, breathing in sharply when she was met with a pair of glowing eyes; she had forgotten Tori was capable of doing that.

"Jade!" Tori was obviously irritated.

"Drop it!" Jade's figure was already beginning to shimmer, she was melting into the shadows. In her final moments in the room she watched the Latina lunge for her and she clenched her eyes shut as she braced for impact.

Gravity suspended around them all too briefly. When it recurred Jade found herself falling backwards, Tori driving them to the ground. The pair landed heavily amidst a pile of dirty laundry with Tori's arms still wrapped around her waist. Tori scrambled off the injured girl, dry-heaving on her hands and knees as she struggled to recover from jump she was woefully unprepared for. Jade groaned and rolled to her side, hugging her ribs and gasping for air. Spots danced before her eyes, whether from the strain of the extra passenger or the fact that Tori had headbutted the wind from her lungs. "I'm – going to – kill you." She wheezed, kicking out with her boot and relishing the pained squeal as she connected with Tori's side.

"I'm going to puke." The younger girl whined from the floor, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she sought control on her bearings. Jade kicked her again for good measure as the spots danced away and the pain in her ribs faded. She pushed herself to her feet with a grunt and ran her hands blindly along the wall for the light switch.

_Please let this be Ruby's apartment. Please, please, please. _She prayed desperately. This wouldn't have been the first time tonight she'd fallen short of her intended destination. She also hadn't anticipated the last-minute passenger. She wouldn't be surprised if they weren't even on the correct block. She found purchase on a switch and breathed a sigh of relief as the lights flickered on. They had made it.

"Oh my God… did someone break in? This place is trashed." Tori craned her neck from her prone position.

"No… this is normal." Jade stepped over her and deeper into the living room. From here she could just barely make out the couch under piles of clean laundry; there were a few days' worth of empty pizza boxes stacked on the coffee table. Jade lifted the lid of what she assumed to be the newest one, grimacing when the smell of stale cheese and rancid sauce assaulted her nose. This one was a few days old at least. It didn't appear that Ruby had ever made it home last night.

She peered through the curtains in the direction she knew the stripper took from Shocktop's as if she actually expected to see her walking home. The street was empty. Jade briefly entertained the idea that maybe Ruby ran to another coworker's apartment – she knew Jasmine lived in the area. _No_. She shook her head. If that was the case someone would have heard from her by now.

"Are you worried?" Tori was finally on her feet, looking paler than normal.

Jade didn't reply. "If there's a nest around here one of them could have grabbed her." She mused. Vampires would often cage a number of humans to feed on for a number of days. "Can you sense them?"

Tori shook her head. "This is New York, Jade. There's chaos everywhere. I'm not sensing anymore than usual."

"Then we're going for a walk." She turned to leave the cramped apartment to nearly run headlong into Tori. Her puppy-dog eyes were etched with concern and pleading with her.

"What?" Jade groaned. She slapped her hands against her thighs in frustration.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit this one out? I could do a sweep of the neighborhood for you."

"You don't even know who you're looking for." The pale girl snapped, stepping around her.

"No… but we know what may have taken her. If you're hell-bent on going would you at least take precautions? Do you have any holy - …" A steely look from her companion silenced her. "Of course not. Can we please just gather some supplies? It's not smart to go in unprepared…" Her voice trailed off, her implication clear.

Pale eyes flashed angrily. "Wait. Here." She seethed, slapping the light switch and disappearing into the shadows. Tori blinked and rubbed her eyes to acclimate them to the darkness. By the time she opened them again Jade had returned, an old backpack slung over her shoulder. She shoved it into Tori's arms and ripped it open, retrieving a stake and bottle of holy water which she proceeded to shove in her tall boots. "I'm not doing anymore of that tonight. I'm not a damn dog playing a game of fetch." She felt nauseas, dizzy. She just wanted to sit down and pass out. Her powers were effectively drained for the evening.

But Ruby might be out there, and if she had been taken into the nest her life was hanging in the balance.

"Are you okay?" Tori frowned.

"I'm fine. Just keep up."

* * *

Tori's skin tingled, her senses were on overdrive. She did her best to control her heart, to prevent it from pounding in her ears. She knew it interfered with her ability to hunt and sounded like the dinner bell for anything that would potentially want to feast on her. She glanced sidelong at Jade, her radiant eyes casting a faint glow on her struggling form. She was limping, and her forehead shined with a thin layer of sweat; she was hurting. _Stubborn_. Tori huffed absently, returning her gaze to the alley before them.

"Do you have to do that?" Jade hissed.

"What?"

"Fog-light eyes."

Tori blinked, the glow fading before ultimately extinguishing. "But I can't see."

"I can." Tori frowned. Without her "night vision" giving everything and orange hue she could see Jade's silvery-blue eyes glimmering in the darkness. She had always thought them beautiful. _Just like sapphires_… She realized Jade's stage name couldn't be more fitting. "We're already easy targets. We don't need to draw any more attention." Tori blinked again, stirring herself from her reverie, and returned her attention ahead of them. She struggled to make out shapes in the night, ultimately choosing to let Jade be her eyes. She instead focused her energies on listening for presences around them and sensing for darker entities. She felt more anxious than she had in some time as she walked blindly next to the Rogue half-demon; it was nerve-wrecking, she realized, to entrust her safety to someone she hadn't seen in a half-century, someone who could very well be leading her into a trap.

They continued on in silence as they weaved through the alleyways. Some time passed by the time the girls noticed a faint glow shining through a basement window of an abandoned brownstone. Tori glanced up and studied the old building – the windows were all boarded up and it appeared no one had lived there in some time.

Jade dropped to her stomach and crawled towards the dingy window pane, motioning for Tori to remain watchful to ensure they weren't surprised from behind. "What do you see?" She whispered.

Jade replied, craning her neck to get a better view. "Two girls in the corner. Tied up. Can't tell if they're alive or not. Looks like three vamps… I think they're… Seriously?" The older girl scowled.

"What?" Tori's eyes flashed nervously and she made no attempt to extinguish the light. Jade's vague report was making her nervous. "What is it?"

"They're playing Playstation. Is nothing sacred anymore?"

"Times are a-changing." Tori breathed a sigh of relief. "I think the days of the tormented and brooding vampire hiding away in his mansion while he pines for lost love are behind us…"

Jade glanced up at her. "You've been watching _Buffy_ I see." Amusement danced in her eyes.

"… It was a good show. And that's not the point! Is there anything you see that we can use to our advantage?" Tori's cheeks burned and she crossed her arms defensively, returning her attention back to the alley. A few seconds passed before a thought occurred. "How would you know what I'm talking about if you hadn't watched _Buffy_ too?"

"Shh. That's not the point right now." Jade dismissed, waving her hand absently. Tori rolled her eyes and huffed again. "This is the only window. There's one door in and out of the place it looks like." She pushed herself to her feet and brushed off her front.

"What are you thinking? Bait-and-kill or storm the castle?"

"A little bit of both." Jade's tone was indecipherable.

"I don't think I like the sound of this." She frowned as Jade grabbed her shoulders in a crushing grip and backed her towards the building. "Jade?" A smirk was tugging at the corner of her lips and Tori suddenly felt like she had made a grave mistake.

"I was, essentially, bait last night. It's your turn." She explained simply before pecking the younger girl on the forehead. "Good luck, I'll be right behind you." Before Tori could protest she felt herself being shoved forcefully backwards. She struggled futilely to regain her footing before her heel caught the slight edge of the raised curb and she tumbled backwards into the window. The glass shattered upon impact and small shards sliced and bit at her tender skin. She landed ungracefully on her rear-end, dazed and winded, in the middle of the vampires' lair.

"Uh… hey, guys." She stammered. The room was completely silent, interrupted only by the sound of the video game. There was a cartoonish whistling on-screen following by a loud explosion. She couldn't help but feel solidarity with whomever or whatever had just met its untimely end. "Do you have a moment to talk about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior?"

The seconds that followed were a hellacious blur. Tori yelped shrilly as the three men charged towards her. She targeted the closest one and smashed the heel of her hand into his nose, cringing as she felt it crack and crunch. He bellowed and clutched his face, his forward momentum carrying him headlong into a wall. The Latina ducked through the break in the line and forced her way through the tangle of hands and arms, knowing she couldn't allow herself to be cornered.

Her next contender was the largest of the group, easily towering a foot over her. She searched frantically for the stake she had previously shoved in her belt to find it missing. "I don't know who you are, but I'm really glad you graced us with your presence. You're the prettiest dinner I've seen in a while." He reached for her and she blocked with her forearm, stepping back as he advanced.

"Can't we talk about this? I was just looking for a friend. Stripper that goes by the name of Ruby?" Tori pleaded as she continued dancing just out of reach. He dove for her again and she attempted to jump back only to find her feet tangled hopelessly in some unknown obstacle. She flailed and again landed heavily on her backside, moaning and pushing herself up on her elbows to discover that she had unknowingly backed into the Playstation cables. _This never would have happened at Angel's mansion_. She wailed internally, turning her gaze to the three hungry vampires bearing down on her. Their eyes blazed with amusement and she couldn't help but wonder if this was the same look lions gave a cornered gazelle.

A sound interrupted their triumphant growls, one that Tori had once hated but now considered to be a heavenly chorus. The tip of a wooden stake thrust through the giant one's shirt. He exploded into dust and Jade burst through the cloud, grabbing the prone girl by the collar and hauling her to her feet. "You dropped this on your graceful landing." She shoved Tori's discarded stake into her hands.

"Well maybe if you had given me some warning!" Tori snapped.

"I was working with the element of surprise." Jade countered, unscrewing the lid from the holy water and splashing it in the face of the vampire whose nose Tori had just broken.

"We needed to surprise _them_, not _me_!" She cried.

"Well I did both. What can I say? I'm an overachiever." She glanced at the other girl and winked; the brief moment of distraction allowed the remaining vampire enough time to catch her off guard and drive her into the wall.

"Not exactly the place for a lovers' spat, little one." He growled.

"We are _not_ together." Jade snarled viciously, eyes flashing.

"Guardian." He hissed, his eyes narrowing. "I'm going to drain you dry and – "

"Yeah, yeah. We've heard it all already." Tori interrupted, impaling him through the chest. Their gazes met through the cloud of ash and something unspoken passed between them; they were working better as a team now than they ever had. Tori wondered what had changed, wondered _who_ had changed. Something was different about Jade's fighting these days and she couldn't yet pinpoint it.

As the lone surviving vampire slammed into her she realized now probably wasn't the best time to worry about it. Her head cracked against the concrete floor and stars danced in her eyes. Frozen hands closed around her throat and made breathing impossible; he was choking the life out of her. Jade appeared again and dispatched him effortlessly, using his distraction in her favor. "Two-one. I'd say that's game, loser. Better luck next time." She smirked, tossing her weapon to the ground and spinning on her heel to tend to the women in the corner and leaving Tori to recover on her own.

Tori wheezed and rubbed her throat – _this_ seemed like the Jade she remembered, the callous, unconcerned teammate who never could summon enough compassion to ensure her well-being. At least the immediate danger had passed, she reasoned. She just needed to lie here and rest for a minute…

"Ruby." Jade breathed, simultaneously thankful that she had found the young girl and newly concerned that she might be dead. Her throat and chest were stained with dried blood, her skin had taken on a sickly pallor. If she was still alive she was clinging to it by her fingertips. "Hey, kid, wake up." Jade shook her gently, biting back a smile when her pale eyes fluttered open. "Oh, thank God." She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and turned her attention to the ropes binding her wrists. They had rubbed her skin raw as she struggled and the open wounds were angry and inflamed.

Jade crouched and cradled the injured arm gently in her lap as she picked at the blood-stained knots, doing her best to ignore the overwhelming copper scent that assaulted her olfactory. It had been a long time since she'd gotten into a battle like that; she could feel the demon within her clawing at its prison. It wanted more – more destruction, more mayhem, more carnage. It called to her, begged her to release it and realize her full potential.

Part of her loved its presence. The demon was powerful, uninhibited by any kind of moral compass. It operated at will and sought only for itself. It lived for chaos. Whenever she got worked up like this it was tempting to release it…

That's when she had to take a step back and realize what she was considering. Her _humanity_ was at stake – every day since her summoning she had waged an internal war against the demon that had set up shop in her soul. Despite the tainted pleasure she felt by having it around, it was frustrating,_ exhausting_, to deal with its presence on a daily basis. It was especially tiring when it started tearing at her resolve.

Now was one of those moments. Though not a blood-drinker, Jade was naturally inclined to feast on human flesh. Ruby was injured, weak… the perfect meal, really. She felt her mouth watering and swallowed hard, trying to swallow the darker impulsions as well. This was Ruby. Ruby was her friend, not her dinner. _You're a vegetarian now, remember?_ She chastised herself. The demon within her grunted in frustration. "How are you feeling?" Jade inquired, finally working her way through one knot.

"Hungry."

The word registered a second's fraction too late. Ruby used the now-slack rope as a weapon, wrapping it around Jade's throat and driving them both to the ground. She wound it around her fist a few times, tightening the pressure around Jade's throat. The pale girl gasped for air and struggled to shove the newly-dead girl off her to no avail; the fledgling was too strong, Jade could see muscles rippling under her pale skin. She should have checked her pulse first – she _knew_ better than this.

Jade's struggles weakened as blood and oxygen failed to reach her brain, her hands lost their grip and fumbled awkwardly against her attacker. Ruby leaned down and nuzzled Jade's ear, nipping the lobe with pointed fangs but not quite breaking the skin. "This is wonderful, Jade." She breathed, the moist heat sending shivers down the hybrid's spine. "Everything feels so … vibrant. The sights. The scents… the tastes." She licked along Jade's throat, over the recently closed wound from her last vampiric encounter. "You taste so good, Jade… So, so good."

Ruby tore gently at the puckered skin and the simple action caused blood to flow freely. She lapped at it hungrily and giggled. Jade closed her eyes – she used to love that sound. Ruby only used it around her, and only when she was particularly pleased. Now it had been perverted by the monster wearing her friend's face.

Suddenly the giggling was interrupted by a gasp of pain. Jade opened her eyes just in time to catch Ruby's gaze as she disintegrated into ash before her. A brief pout claimed her features and she cursed one last time – the sound lost as her vocal cords drifted away in the slight cross-breeze. Tori appeared in her line of sight and quickly loosened the noose around her neck, face grim as she dragged them both away from the remaining unconscious girl just to be safe.

She wordlessly hauled the injured girl into a sitting position and clamped a hand over her again-bleeding throat. Chocolate eyes studied her, searched her for signs of deeper injury. Jade averted her gaze and stared at the spot where Ruby had just been; not all the dust had yet settled and she watched what was left of her friend fall like snow to the ground.

Something rumbled within her. Old fissures were reopening.

"Jade?" The girl in question glanced back towards her younger companion, suddenly angry at the face etched with compassion. When she didn't reply Tori cocked her head, forcing a grim smile. "That's two-two. We tied."

Jade hardened her gaze. It didn't matter that Tori was trying to cheer her up, she wanted to rend the girl limb from limb. "… Let's just get you home. Come on." She sighed, hooking her under the arm and dragging her to her feet. The pair limped out the door without looking back and, as the door slammed shut behind them, Jade felt a pang of guilt, one that gnawed at her just as much as the demon inside her.

She'd failed to save another friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Well. Spring break is over :( I have to go back to teaching tomorrow. Boo. **

**Read and Review to cheer me up :D  
**

* * *

Jade stared blankly at the shower wall and allowed the spray to pound against her sore back and numb her tense muscles. The walk back to Tori's hotel had been a tense one, certainly not helped by the fact that Jade had remained completely silent, her countenance grim and unreadable. She had lingered by the front door when they arrived, silently dismissing Tori so she could indulge in a cigarette… or four. By the time she had made it upstairs her companion had showered and changed, and her head was currently deep within the recesses of the fridge. Seriously, how much did that kid eat a day?

She had wordlessly grabbed a change of clothes from her suitcase, stomped into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her. She didn't bother turning on the light … she was happier in the dark anyway. She wasn't aware of how long she'd been standing under the spray, but she did notice when the water turned arctic. She shut off the water and threw back the curtain, shivering as she stepped into the cool air. Jade pulled on a tank-top and a pair of shorts and stared at her reflection in the mirror as she towel-dried her wavy hair. She considered leaving it down to air dry, but after further consideration she changed her mind and pulled it into a low ponytail. As she stared at her reflection her mind wandered back to a conversation she'd had with Ruby a few months ago.

_The tall girl slid an amber-filled tumbler across the bar. "You strike me as a whiskey girl." She greeted with a smile. "I'm Ruby... What's your name, new girl?"_

_Jade regarded the glass suspiciously; she didn't trust strangers, and she certainly didn't enjoy conversing with them. "Jade, I guess." She realized the younger girl wasn't leaving anytime soon._

_"Jade? That won't do." The blonde leaned across the bar and tucked a stray curl behind Jade's ear. The dark-hair girl recoiled instinctively – she definitely didn't like being **touched** by strangers unless she initiated it._

_Ruby seemed to not notice and cupped Jade by the chin. "Look at those peepers." She smiled. "Just like sapphires. If I didn't know any better I'd think they were sparkling."_

_"Um... Thanks?" Jade pulled away and ran her fingers through her hair. Were her eyes acting up again? She wouldn't be surprised with how anxious she was._

_"Sapphire, you gotta flaunt those gems. Keep that hair out of your face... Men love a gorgeous pair of blue eyes and a slender throat. Trust me." She winked._

_"Any other tips you can offer?" Jade threw back the shot, suddenly grateful for the blonde's intrusion._

_"Everyone's made different, baby-doll. We just have to work with what God gave us. Stick around, I'll teach you how to flaunt what you've got."_

Jade found herself smiling at her blank expression as the memory faded. Ruby had been a good friend.

Now she was dead.

She signed heavily and draped her towel across the rack before exiting the bathroom. Tori was leaning awkwardly by the window in a grey shirt and a pair of pink shorts, absently tugging at the hem as she stared at the thinning crowd below. The sun would be up soon - the only people out right now were late-night drunks stumbling home or red-eyed employees heading to work. "Um…"

"What?" Jade growled, throwing the covers back and sliding in.

"Do you want me to… I could grab a few more pillows and…" She stammered.

"Jesus, Vega, spit it out." Jade raised her eyebrows impatiently.

"I don't know where to sleep." She frowned, twirling a stray lock of hair nervously.

Jade blinked at her. "Seriously? Is this your first slumber party? Get in and shut up." Jade reclaimed her half of the bed that faced the wall and curled up on her side, presenting Tori with a silent, unreadable, expanse of body. She didn't want any conversation, any sympathy. She just wanted to sleep.

The light clicked off and she felt the mattress sag as the younger girl slipped silently under the covers. She shifted a few moments before settling into a comfortable position and, judging by the warmth radiating onto Jade's back, she had settled fairly close. "It's a queen-sized bed, Tori." Jade grumbled, inching closer to the edge.

"You're warm… I need the heat."

"Oh, bullshit." She snipped.

She heard Tori sigh behind her. "… Are you going to be here when I wake up tomorrow?"

"Depends on whether or not there's breakfast."

"Jade, I'm serious." Jade could practically hear the frown, could feel the puppy-dog eyes boring into the back of her head.

The pale girl rolled onto her back and tilted her head to study the Latina. "I'm not going anywhere. Chill out."

"It wouldn't be the first time you've left." Tori commented softly.

"… That was different." Jade turned her gaze to the ceiling.

"Different how?"

"Just _different_, Vega, trust me."

"That's kind of easier said than done."

"If you don't trust me then why the hell don't you just go ahead and hand me over to the Brotherhood?" Her tone was heated and honed to a sharp edge; years of distrust and suspicion had made her quick to bare her teeth.

"I _want_ to trust you, Jade, you're just making it kind of hard! You fell off the radar overnight and disappear into thin air without any explanation. Our scriers _still_ can't track you down. I know they try at least once a year. We don't know what you've been up to, who you've been with, where you've been." Tori sat up and started ticking off information on her fingers.

"Just because I disappeared doesn't mean – " Jade interrupted, only to be interrupted herself.

"And then I find you and you're abusing your powers for personal gain."

"It's not like I'm – "

"_And_ you threw me into a nest of vampires! I could have been killed!"

"Shut _up_!" Jade snarled. The bed jerked violently as she pushed herself up and clicked on the bedside lamp. "I was _not_ going to let you die. I just needed a distraction."

"You could have told me." Tori frowned, propping herself up on her elbows.

"You might have said no."

Dark eyes rolled towards the ceiling. "Oh, real nice. We can add selfish manipulation to the list too then."

Jade's blood boiled and every fiber of her being commanded that she reached out and slap Tori with all her might. Her hands shook and she clenched the comforter tightly to prevent herself from lashing out. If she threw a punch now she knew she'd throw another one… and she didn't know if she could make herself stop. "Watch your mouth, Vega. You don't know a damn thing about who I am." Was she breathing fire? It felt like it.

"And whose fault is that? It's not like I haven't tried to understand you. You're the one that shuts everyone out."

"Because they don't get it! Nobody does! Least of all you, _angel._" She spat the last word, as if it were some insect that had flown into her mouth. How could someone like Tori ever expect to understand her? The war she waged daily with herself?

"Most of all me, _Jade_. Getting it is kind of my thing." The Latina sat up and stared at her hopefully. "If you'd just let me I'd – "

"_No_!" Jade recoiled, as if Tori was some venomous snake. "Don't touch me. You can't just break into someone's head and think that you've gotten to know them. That's not how it works."

Tori looked as if she'd been slapped in the face. "I wouldn't without permission." She frowned; Jade could easily recognize her wounded tone. She didn't care at this point.

"And I don't need you to 'get to know me'," Jade quoted in the air. "All I need you to do is recognize that I'm not some monster and get the hell out of my life. I can show you that without you digging around in my skull. Understand?"

"Fine." Tori lay back down and rolled over. Satisfied, Jade shut off the light and returned to her curled up position. She focused on her breathing to try and lower her blood-pressure, knowing if she didn't calm down she'd be awake all night. "I know I don't _need_ to get to know you, Jade. But I'd like to. We worked together for 25 years and you're practically a stranger still."

Jade didn't reply. She stared into the darkness and scoffed. Their kind didn't mix for a reason – she knew Tori wouldn't like what she saw if Jade let her walls down. She could attribute her "caring nature" to that meddlesome "do-gooder" soul in her, and all she had to do was keep her at bay long enough to slip away like she had before. The pair settled into an uncomfortable sleep, neither girl really trusting the other that rested beside.

* * *

Jade allowed herself to sleep almost a full 24 hours. By the time she awoke her stomach was growling and Tori was gone. She rubbed her bleary eyes and stumbled towards the bathroom, noting with sleepy pleasure that her puncture wound was nearly healed – all that remained was a faint pink scar; it was hardly tender to the touch anymore, and thankfully hadn't left much of a mark on her otherwise smooth skin. When she pulled up her shirt she found no bruises or scrapes, just pale, unmarred skin. A clean ivory slate, save a self-inflected scar above her heart. She traced her fingertips over the raised flesh – an ancient rune. She had discovered it, incidentally enough, on a mission in the 1930s, just days after Beck had joined their team.

After over thirty years of service to the Brotherhood and the Guardians Jade's patience was wearing thin, her team-spirit fading. She had been sent on an assignment with Andre to track down a necromancer that had recently made himself known along the west coast. They had found him easily enough; while Andre disposed of his body Jade packed up his books and supplies to take back for the Brotherhood to sort through. An innocent-looking slip of paper had fallen from one of his texts and she had pocketed it absently, thinking it scrap to throw away at her earliest convenience.

It wasn't until later that evening, when she was undressing for bed, did she remember it. She studied the simple design at the top of the page before her eyes glossed over the ancient language to the more modern Greek translation at the bottom. "Obscurity." She mused. She deduced it to be a cloaking spell, one that would quite literally wipe her off the map. No tracking spell would find her, no scriers able to see her, no telepaths able to pinpoint her location. Nothing this potent had yet been discovered by the Brotherhood, and she considered briefly turning the important artifact over to them.

Instead she tucked it safely away in her journal. It was her first act of passive defiance.

The night Beck and Robbie died she had retrieved it and, taking the sharpest knife she could find, carved it over her heart as the spell advised.

And then she quite literally disappeared into the night. She jumped into the nearest shadow with no destination in mind, allowing her powers to take them where they willed. She landed in Detroit and started her life as a waif, carving out her existence in city after city until, for whatever reason, she felt compelled to move on. She tried not to involve herself with any monster slaying – she wanted to avoid potentially running into any Guardians out on duty.

So she kept her head down and kept to herself, never forming any serious relationships, not even with other Rogues. She didn't want to risk revealing herself, didn't want to risk raising the alarm too many times when she inevitably disappeared. She was undiscoverable by magic, after all, not by physical reports. If she found herself plastered across any missing person posters or raised public awareness she could easily be tracked down.

Ruby had been one of the few exceptions to her "no-friends" rule, and not necessarily by her own choice. The blonde hadn't been put off by her sour attitude, her sarcasm. She had all but joined them at the hip and Jade, though by no means ready to tear down her walls, found herself enjoying the younger girl's company. Her attitude was infectious, and Jade often found herself wondering if she wasn't in the company of another Rogue empath.

But no. Ruby (Rachel, technically) was just a plain old human. Mortal. Vulnerable.

Jade ripped her shirt over her head and tossed it to the ground, no longer willing to follow the path her thoughts had taken. She exited the bathroom in her underwear to dig through her suitcase for clean apparel. As luck would have it as soon as she bent over her suitcase the door swung open and Jade, unashamed, tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave Tori an irritated look. The Latina stood in the doorway, paralyzed and a flush creeping up her throat. Her eyes were very obviously trained on Jade's lace-clad rear-end. "Would you shut the fucking door? I made people pay for views like this and you're just giving them away." She snapped.

Tori snapped back to her senses and let the door slam behind her. Jade turned away and quickly yanked on a new top, not wanting to draw the nosy girl's attention to the rune carved on her torso. "I um… I got dinner." Tori struggled to break the silence. "Veggie-burgers okay?"

"Perfect." She accepted the proffered paper bag and claimed a seat on the bed before digging in, only absently noting that she still wasn't wearing pants. It appeared Tori couldn't help but notice, as she pointedly gazed at everything in the room but her companion. "You're almost one hundred years old. You can't still be a prude."

"Well, I mean, we haven't exactly seen each other in a while. I'm not used to being around you when you're…"

"I'm not naked. Oh, come on. Take a look. They usually charge cover for this view at Shocktop's." Tori trained her eyes at the ceiling. "Wow. Just… wow." She sighed and dragged the comforter over her lap and rolled her eyes when Tori finally met her gaze.

"Thank you." The Latina smiled.

Jade was sorely tempted to flash the younger girl another look but refrained in favor of stuffing her face instead. She glanced up and studied her companion; she looked worn out, exhausted. "When did you leave today?"

"Around noon." Tori yawned. "I haven't made any progress on the job I was sent here for."

"You never told me what that was, by the way. I thought we were supposed to be partners."

"You never asked. And we were otherwise preoccupied last night… Would you like me to catch you up on the details?"

"Not particularly." Jade remarked, chewing on a sweet-potato fry.

"…And you're sure you're not evil?" Tori frowned.

"Fairly." She wasn't going to allow Tori to be her conscience, as irritating as she was. She wouldn't play nice just because she was temporarily back on the team; if Tori wanted her help she'd have to accept her how she was.

"Hybrids have been disappearing from the east coast. It started in Virginia about a month ago and from what we can tell it's moving north. We lost contact with our team in Baltimore last week."

"Would it be so outrageous to consider they're just going Rogue?" Jade huffed; just because a few people walked away from the job wasn't a reason to overreact. "Maybe they got tired of playing for your team. Just leave them alone… they'll come back if they want to."

"_Hybrids, _Jade, not just Guardians," Tori frowned. "Rogues too. And they aren't just quitting… they're disappearing, just like you did all those years ago, and nobody can figure out how."

Jade glanced up and narrowed her eyes, suddenly aware of the scar under her clothes. Had someone discovered her rune? That worried her. If someone learned the nature of her vanishing act someone could take measures to counter-act it. She could be dragged forcibly back on the radar, hauled back to Brotherhood HQ and submitted to interrogation after interrogation. "And you've got no leads?" She hoped her voice didn't betray her cool countenance.

"Honestly, you're my best one so far." Jade's skin bristled. "You were the first glitch in the system, so to speak. I was hoping you'd maybe tell me how you did it and we could work from there." Dark eyes searched her, pleaded with her.

"No." Jade's response was automatic, her tone final. "_No_. I'll help you figure out what's going on but I'm not telling you that." At this point she realized she needed to figure out what was going on for her own sake, not necessarily as an act of altruism.

Tori opened her mouth to reply but clamped it shut when Jade's brows rose in a threatening manner. She could tell the Latina wanted to protest, wanted to argue, but they both realized at this point that Tori needed Jade more than Jade need Tori. The younger girl could threaten to reveal her location all she wanted, but Jade could potentially manage to disappear before backup arrived to take her in. If that happened they would lose the only lead they had managed to stumble upon.

"Fine." She finally agreed. "I won't ask again."

"Wonderful." Jade tossed the last bite of her burger into her mouth and crumpled the wrapper. "Did you learn anything while you were out?"

"Just that some New York Rogues aren't very friendly." Jade noted with amusement that she looked genuinely upset by the less than friendly reception. "One lady almost slammed the door on my foot."

"I don't blame her." Jade smirked. "It's nerve-wrecking trying to carve out a living as a normal human being when you're worried people like you are always going to stick their nose into your business."

"I'm just trying to help them! They could vanish too!" Tori huffed and propped her head up with her hand.

"You were being nosy."

Tori closed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the teasing. A moment later a wadded up wrapper bounced off her head. She made an annoyed nose in the back of her throat and threw a fry towards the older girl, who caught it effortlessly and popped it into her mouth. "Fine. Then how do you suggest we go about it?"

Jade hummed in consideration before shrugging her shoulders. "Don't know yet. We'll figure it out. Something will come to me." She threw off the covers to the side and slid off the bed, stretching to chase away the sleep. She bent down in front of her suitcase again and dug until she found a pair of fishnets and a skirt that matched. "I have to run an errand. I'll try to have something figured out by the time I get back."

"What? Where?" Tori obviously didn't appear comfortable with the idea of letting the half-demon out of her sight.

"I need to go by the club." Jade explained as she disappeared into the bathroom with her makeup bag.

"You're going to _work_?" Tori appeared in the doorway a second later looking frantic, perhaps concerned that she was about to disappear into the shadows. "I thought you took a few days off?"

"I'm going to clean out Ruby's locker before they throw it all in the trash." Jade snapped, glaring at the Latina in the mirror and daring her to say another word.

"Oh." Regret immediately flooded her features. "Oh… I'm sorry. Okay." She picked at the paint on the doorframe. "Can I come?"

Jade nearly stabbed herself with her eyeliner. "_You_ want to come to a strip club. You." A half-second passed before realization struck her. "I'm not going to take off if you take your eye off on me." She scowled.

"I'm not worried about that." The tan girl countered. "Okay… well, I am. But I really do want to see what you've been up to the past few years."

"You know girls get almost naked there, right?"

"…I can handle it." Jade bit her lip to keep from smiling and botching her mascara. She could only imagine the little angel squirming as her coworkers descended upon her. It'd surely be worth a few laughs. It might even serve to brighten her mood.

"All right." She replied simply as she applied a pale gloss that made her lips plump and tingle. She turned, leaned against the counter and allowed her eyes to wander down Tori's body. "Are you wearing that?" She was clad in a grey sweatshirt and jeans – definitely not club attire.

"What's wrong with it? It's not like I'm going out for a night on the town. I'm not trying to impress anyone." She smoothed the front of her hoodie and ran her hand through her wavy hair.

"I'm not letting you into my club like that. I have a reputation." Tori stuck out her bottom lip and glanced at herself in the mirror. "Jesus, come on. I may have something that'll fit your size-A tits." She grabbed her by the front of her sweatshirt and dragged her into the bathroom while clicking off the light.

"They're Bs!" Tori protested, wrapping her arms around the slightly taller girl and burying her head into her neck to prepare herself.

Jade found herself smiling and returning the embrace. "B for bullshit." She teased as they shimmered into oblivion. She extracted herself from the hug when they reappeared in her apartment, noting Tori seemed to handle the jump better this time around. She was still a few shades paler than usual, but managed, at least, to remain upright. She left her teetering in the middle of the room as she dug through her closet, searching for something she thought the younger girl would deem appropriate. She returned seconds later with a silver dress and handed it off, pointing to the bathroom behind her. "Get dressed."

"Jade, I can't wear this." Tori called through the door. She could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"What gives?" The bathroom door swung open and Jade felt her jaw drop before she could stop it. The shimmery fabric clung to her in all the right places to minimize her already toned stomach and frame her shapely ass. It was strapless and revealed her smooth shoulders and long, slender neck that disappeared under a wave of curls… She clamped her mouth shut and cleared her throat. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's a little tighter than what I'm used to… and kind of short." Jade groaned inwardly; she hadn't yet noticed her long, tan legs.

"You look fine… more than fine." Jade assured. "If I didn't know how incredibly intolerable you were I'd probably hit on you." She admitted. _Why would you own up to that? Shut up. Shut. Up._

Tori blinked at her before an uncertain smile spread across her face. "Thank you."

"Enough of this sappy shit. You look fine. We're going. You've got money for a cab, right?" She didn't wait for a reply. "Let's get going." She was trying to limit her shadow-walking with another passenger – it simply exhausted her too quickly.

* * *

The pair climbed out of a taxi thirty minutes later and Tori regarded the building apprehensively, unconsciously tugging her dress down as she did so. Jade was cool as she walked briskly down the steps to the door, the clacking of her heels echoing off the concrete staircase. Tori scrambled to keep up without taking a tumble and looped her arm through Jade's when they stepped inside, as if seeking some protection from whatever dangers might reside within.

Tori glanced around, mouth agape, and took in the scene. The lights were dim on the floor, just bright enough for waitresses and patrons to move around without tripping. The stage was a different story – a series of colorful lights danced across the slick surface and dancers' bodies as they danced with each other, on poles, and tantalizingly out of reach of the men and women that waved money at them. She felt her cheeks grow hot as she watched a redhead crawl across the stage on hands and knees and tug a bill out of a man's waistband with her teeth.

This is what Jade did now?

The girl in question dragged her away from the doorway and deposited her at the bar. "Just wait here. I shouldn't be long." She instructed, whistling to get the bartender's attention. "Lulu! Double Crown."

"Jade, I don't want to drink. I need to stay – " Tori protested as the woman slid a shot glass towards her.

"It's just one drink to keep you company. Jesus, calm down." Jade interrupted, throwing her purse at her and heading towards backstage. She paused on the way to snag a waitress by the elbow.

"Sapphire!" She greeted. Jade sighed – she was always far too cheerful for her tastes. "I thought you were taking a few days off."

"I am." She didn't bother to disguise her impatience. "You see that girl over there in the silver? Go keep her entertained for a few minutes." She jabbed her thumb in Tori's direction.

"Oooh… who's that? New girlfriend?"

"_**No**_**.**"

"… So she's free game? She's a cutie. Hispanic? Look at those cheekbones!"

"Raven. _Raven_. I didn't say hit on her. I said entertain her. _Talk_ to her until I get back." The blonde frowned. "She's not your type, trust me."

"Really? What's she like?" Her eyes narrowed as she studied the anxious figured clutching her drink like a lifeline.

"… A good kid." Jade muttered absently as she stepped past the smaller girl. She had spied Donny walking out of his office and wanted to grab his attention before he got wrapped up with clientele.

"Hey! You're back!... You're not dressed." He frowned.

"No, I'm not. I need to clean out Ruby's locker. She's left town for …" She cursed inwardly. She should have planned this out better, but every time her thoughts drifted to last night she felt a tightening in her chest, a dark cloud settle in over her sensibilities. Simply put, it _upset_ her to think about Ruby, and that fact in itself upset her. This was the very reason she didn't form interpersonal relationships – they always ended in heartbreak. "She had a family emergency. She had to move back home."

Donny scowled. "Fine. Get her shit out of here." He brushed passed her, muttering to himself. "One of my best dancers. God damnit."

Jade rolled her blue eyes to the ceiling and released a stream of curses. Donny was an insensitive asshole. She disappeared behind stage and paused at Ruby's station, staring apprehensively at the small steel door. She exhaled slowly to prepare herself and tugged it open. _This isn't so hard._ She lied, yanking out a small bag that contained a spare change of clothes and a small makeup bag. Ruby's perfume immediately filled her nose and dragged up unwelcome memories. She pulled a few pictures off the door – mostly that of family members and a dog she'd left back at home. There was a small one tucked in the corner, so insignificant that she almost didn't notice it, of Ruby and Jade. The pair was at their shared vanity, Ruby had snapped it with her phone while Jade was distracted, knowing the dour girl would never agree to it had she been aware. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips and she tucked it carefully away in the bag. She'd keep this one, put it somewhere safe.

It'd be proof that, at some point, Jade West had actually had a friend.

She cleaned out the rest of the locker contents and slammed the door, noting how hollow it sounded now that it was empty, and sauntered towards the bar to retrieve Tori. She didn't have a chance to make it that far.

"Jade!" The Latina appeared out of nowhere and gripped her pale arm tightly. "I need to talk to you."

"What!" She tried yanking herself to no avail. Something had frazzled her. Jade stared past her to see Raven shrugging her shoulders – she was obviously just as confused. "Did someone hit on you or something?"

"No! Well… yes. But that's not the problem." Jade perked an eyebrow.

"Have you been drinking?"

"No, actually. I don't like whisky." Tori shook her head. "Jade, something's here."

The half-demon frowned. "What do you mean, _something_?" She scanned the crowd and found nothing out of ordinary.

"I mean something. I can feel it… it's dark."

"I don't…" Jade let down her walls a little more in hopes of feeling a hint of what Tori could. It felt like the same old crowd, nothing seemed out of place.

"It's not chaotic yet, but I really don't think it's here for the show. We can't just leave it here."

"Well, where is it?" Jade demanded, her patience wearing dangerously thin. This was the kind of work that she was trying to get away from, and here it had slipped into her club under her nose.

"I can't tell. I can't pinpoint it in here… there's too much going on."

"So we'll draw it out and kill it."

"But how?"

Jade bit her lip and trained her gaze on the dancers onstage as a plan formed. Her performances often drew out the animal in all her patrons, she imagined it'd have the same effect on whatever monster had made this misfortune of stepping onto her turf. She studied them, mentally ticking off their best qualities before she settled on the small brunette suspending herself on the far-left pole: Cricket, the only other girl Jade ever would have considered doing a number with. Her makeup was already here… one of her favorite costumes was still on a rack in the back… She glanced back to Tori and smirked grimly.

"Ready for a show?"

* * *

**So... you can imagine what's coming next :x**

**Also, I made a "Glitch in the System" reference. Did you see? **


	6. Chapter 6

**Guys, I'm back! Let me catch you up to speed: I graduated...**

**And that's pretty much it. I'm job hunting, and it's kind of sucking. A lot. Thanks for bearing with me. I'm trying to get back on a steady schedule, and my writing skills may be a little rusty. I hope I'll be back up to par soon! **

* * *

Tori reluctantly returned to her seat at the bar after Jade disappeared backstage and studied the crowd closely. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end - it felt, to her, as if the air had been electrified. Her skin tingled, her chest felt tight. It was always her warning sign that evil was nearby; she just wished her "spidey-sense" was more accurate. As far as she could tell whatever it was could be anywhere in the room... It could even be the stripper perched on the stool next to her absently filing her nails.

Tori's gaze flickered swiftly to her left, hoping the big-bad wasn't that tiny little girl... That'd just be embarrassing.

Her crossed leg bounced anxiously as she waited for Jade. She didn't really approve of this idea. Actually, she thought it was horrible. But Jade had been insistent, and had even gone as far to map out exactly what she planned on doing. Unlike last night she seemed prepared, more willing to work with Tori rather than using her as bait.

It was only a small comfort at this point, but one she appreciated.

The music blasting over the speakers faded and the first silence of the night settled across the club. It felt like she was waking from some bizarre dream, like she was able to surface for air now that the tide had retreated. It was unsettling, Tori realized, to have the blanket of sound stripped away. She felt naked, exposed. Now that the spectacle onstage had paused all the patrons were anxiously aware of each other. She watched as they exchanged anxious glances or focused intently on peeling their beer labels while they waited for the next set.

The lights on stage faded to a pale blue and the music picked up again, much to the relief of crowd. Tori knew her instructions - watch the room for suspicious or aggressive behavior. Jade warned her she was going to project more than she usually did; she needed to prepare herself for whatever sudden panic may wash over her. Tori sat up a little straighter once the music began to thump, and braced herself by gripping the back of the chair.

Tori felt her jaw drop when Jade and her companion took stage. They wore matching toxic green brocade corsets and black taffeta mini-skirts that practically served no purpose as a skirt at all. Hints of green and silver glitter adorned Jade's cheekbones, drawing the crowd's attention to her deep blue eyes. Tori's own wandered up the spectacle that had once been her mentor and realized Jade was staring at her. A smirk ghosted across her lips and she winked before returning her attention to her act.

"She has that effect on everyone." Raven pouted beside her. "She even gives me chills still and I've seen this routine a hundred times." The stripper reached over and, with two fingers, closed Tori's still agape mouth. "You sure you two aren't together?"

Tori ignored her. With eyes as wide as saucers she watched Jade strut and drop to all fours before crawling towards a tall blonde that waved a stack of bills at her. The crowd was imbued with new energy and Tori felt a powerful current buzzing in her chest, one that made her heart race and breath hitch. If this was Jade cranking up the power only a notch or two she hated to imagine what chaos she could incite if she released all restraint.

Jade reached the edge of the stage and rolled over onto her back before sliding half off, effectively thrusting her cleavage into the patron's face. The crowd roared and descended upon her, and Tori, momentarily losing sight of her porcelain skin, feared she had been dragged to the ground. The panic in her chest began taking a new shape, that of a protective rage, and she started from her chair. Within a few seconds, however, Jade reappeared. Her bra was so stuffed with bills that a few tumbled out and wafted to the floor. She nipped at the air suggestively in the direction of her patrons before strutting back upstage to a pole.

She took a firm grip on the slick metal and hauled herself halfway up its length before spinning on it, twisting her body so that she was upside down and suspending herself with her toned legs. Men and women cheered again; Tori's ears ached with every shrill and piercing whistle.

She still couldn't take her eyes off Jade.

The woman in question again caught the Latina's eye through the crowd and furrowed her brows in what Tori recognized to be irritation. _Focus, idiot_, they ordered. Tori tore her gaze away and dragged it over the crowd, pushing herself up straighter in her seat as she did so. The room had descended into madness and she struggled with the urge to project tranquility over the din. How was she supposed to focus her attention on anything in this chaos? Futilely she turned back to Jade and shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

She watched the half-demon huff impatiently and could practically hear her angry mutterings as she planted her hands and allowed her body to tumble forward, transitioning into the perfect split. Cricket appeared behind her and grasped her extended arms, lifting her fluidly to her feet and enveloping her into a sensual embrace before nipping at the sensitive skin on Jade's pale throat. The taller girl shrugged away from the embrace and quickly bent down to retrieve something just offstage. She righted herself quickly, tossing her dark hair from her face; Tori immediately recognized that mischievous look she'd come to fear and loathe.

What, exactly, did she intend to do with that megaphone gripped so firmly in her hand?

"Boys and girls!" Her voice was sultry and low, a siren's call. The crowd stilled, a collective gasp was taken as they seemed to all wait for her with baited breath. "I have a surprise for you all… See that angel over there at the bar?" Heads turned, searching. "She's radiant tonight in my dress, isn't she? You might recognize it from one of my previous shows."

Tori wanted to throw up. "That's my girlfriend." Correction: Tori wanted to throw up and die. Jade's eyes flashed in amusement, apparently able to sense the prudish girl's extreme panic. "I'd love to share this dance with her but I think she's too shy. Do you think a little applause would encourage her to join me? I promise you won't be disappointed with the show we give you."

The response from the crowd was deafening and Tori's eyes narrowed dangerously, despite her mortification, at the shadow-walker. "What do you say, angel?" Jade raised her brows hopefully, her expression grave now that the house's attention was on the cornered Latina.

_This isn't a mean game_. Tori realized. Well, not _just_ a mean game. It appeared as if Jade had a plan beyond just humiliating her, though that certainly didn't do much to placate her bubbling temper. At the crowd's urging Tori slid off her stool and bowed her head as she shuffled towards stage, cheeks burning crimson as men and women around her cheered. Thankfully the bodies around her parted and allowed her passage; she didn't know if she possessed the strength to push them aside otherwise. Her limbs felt like jelly, and she wasn't entirely sure how she managed t make her way to the stage.

Jade appeared before her as she nervously ascended the stairs and hooked her fingers under her chin to lift her head. Amused blue met panicked brown. "I hate you." Tori breathed, allowing Jade to plant a cold hand on her cheek to shield their conversation from the public. "What the hell are you up to now?" She demanded, grabbing the pale hand and squeezing it angrily. The other girl's lip twitched in pain but did nothing to extinguish the mischief that danced across her features.

"This isn't working." Jade replied, wrapping her free arm around Tori and leading her backwards across the stage.

"Some bright idea, then. Why did you feel the need to drag me down too?" Tori felt the warmth of the house lights bearing down on her, felt her heart pounding in her throat. She reciprocated Jade's embrace and hugged her as if her life depended on it and, in this moment, she felt like it really did.

Jade leaned in even closer, so much that Tori could feel her hot breath on her lips and smell the faint scent of cinnamon that danced around her words. Being this close to the hybrid while she was projecting made her head spin. "New tactic. Remember the walk to your hotel?"

Tori blinked at her, trying to ignore the physical stimulation and focus instead on the directed question. "Uh… yeah. We almost caused a riot. But what does… Oh, Jade, no. We can't. No. _No_." She demanded desperately, trying to tug herself free from the older girl's grip. It was all for naught.

"Don't feel up for the challenge? I thought _Guardians_ were supposed to be prepared for anything." Jade sneered; Tori didn't fail to notice how her lip curled in disgust at mention of the team she'd once been a part of. Anger bubbled in Tori's chest, this last comment acting as the cherry on top of this shit-sundae. She would show her what Guardians were capable of.

Catching the angry glint in her eye and taking it as confirmation, Jade spun them suddenly and pinned her companion up against the very pole she had just dangled from, gripping the slick metal behind her and arching backwards into a tight back-bend. She stared out over the upside-down audience and watched with amusement as they struggled with the barrage of conflicting emotions.

She felt warm fingers hook under her top, between her breasts, and haul her back upright. Jade's brows climbed her forehead in mild surprise as Tori removed her digits and placed her hands on Jade's arms. The dancer took her cue and released her grip on the pole and allowed Tori to guide her hands down her lithe torso and rest on the edge of her dress. The sequins glittered and danced under the light as the pair moved fluidly with the music. Her nostrils flared anxiously as Jade inched the hem up her toned leg, raking her nails along the soft flesh and leaving a trail of red, raised skin to signal her presence. Tori threw her head back and moaned, a sound only Jade could hear over the din, and wrapped one leg tightly around the other girl's waist.

Jade's heart pounded, still not having fully recovered from whatever had passed between them when they used their powers together. Now she found herself pressed against her, the one woman she had hardly ever been able to stand... And she wasn't hating it. It was strange. Unsettling. She stared into those dark eyes, which had since glazed over... Maybe a result of her own empathic abilities or the drugging experience of being onstage, surrounded by adoring fans.

Speaking of fans, the house was eating this little routine up despite the emotional assault. Their cheers grew louder, more desperate... Almost sounding panicked. It was strange what happened with they combined their abilities, she concluded. She wondered what kind of tips she could get right now if she ...

That's when suddenly Tori removed her leg and shoved her violently backwards. "Jade!" She yelled, pointing offstage. The halfling spun and surveyed the chaos - men and women were knocking over tables and climbing over each other, scrambling as quickly as they could away from the middle of the room, and Jade quickly discerned why.

In the center of the chaos a figure was rising, standing calmly and confidently above the fleeing humans, easily two or three heads taller than Jade, even in the precariously high heels she was currently wearing. His human features were melting away before their very eyes - literally. Human flesh schluffed off in thick sheets, revealing tinted green skin coated in what she presumed to be blood. His clawed at his face with dark, taloned hands, removing the skin mask that covered his true features. There was a stomach-churning ripping sound as he peeled the flesh from his face, revealing serpentine yellow eyes and a bone-plated skull. He hurled the flesh away and released a shrill wail, causing everyone in the room to clamp their hands over their ears. Those unfortunate enough to be nearby collapsed and remained unmoving.

Jade narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw to offset the pain as she scrolled through her me tap catalogue of recognizable monsters and demons. Something about his features seemed familiar, but she was drawing a blank. She knew she would have remembered facing something this gnarly in the past.

"Totoli." Tori was shaking her head and fumbling with the straps of her heels. She kicked them to the side and looked to Jade expectantly.

Jade glanced to her and back at the creature, who seemed to have finally determined them to be the cause of his overwhelming conflict. He released a primal growl that made the hairs on Jade's neck stand up on end and she, too, nervously kicked off her heels. She had never even heard of Totolis, let alone seen one.

"I don't suppose you've got a weapon stored away in that get-up." Tori breathed as it took a few lumbering paces towards them.

"When this is over I'll ask you to explain exactly where you thought I could keep it." The pair split as the creature stepped onto the stage, pale eyes darting back and forth between them. By now the bar had cleared, much to their relief, but they knew they didn't have long before the police responded to the scene.

"Jade..." Tori began tiptoeing backwards as the monster turned his attention to her.

"I'm thinking!"

"Well think faster!" She snapped, ducking a swipe from his taloned hands. Jade knitted her brows and held her breath, waiting for the Latina to step towards the shadows towards the edge of the platform. As soon as darkness enveloped her features, Jade dove offstage and into the dark area just below.

She materialized right behind Tori and jerked her backwards back into the darkness, teleporting them behind the bar. Tori panted and hacked and Jade clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her. Their disappearance wasn't well received. The monster released a furious wail and the pair raised themselves up just enough to peek over the counter. He jerked his head back and forth as it searched for them, his fists clenching and unclenching in frustration. He sniffed the air, nostrils flared, as he struggled to pick up their scent.

He grabbed the pole within reach and ripped it from its mountings, bellowing as he hurled it into the pile of overturned furniture in the audience, perhaps hoping to stir them from their location. "Well, you've been in the game longer than I have. A little input would nice." Jade hissed.

"Are you kidding me? I've only heard of encounters like this. The last team that took on one of these went in with a dozen members and walked away with seven. And those were Guardians with active powers. Not two empaths." Tori stared pointedly at her companion.

"Excuse me? I have an active power." Jade countered defensively.

"You teleport. How is that helpful?"

"Helped you a second ago, didn't it?"

"Cat makes fire and Andre turns into a rock-plated giant whenever they please. You can't even use your powers unless it's dark."

"At least I can do something other than a convincing impression of a car with a pair of headlights that needs replacing."

Tori frowned and opened her mouth to retort when the bottles over their head shattered and rained down clear and colored glass, their contents splashing and coating the girls with sticky liquor. She wiped her eyes furiously and spewed the vile combination from her mouth. When she reopened her eyes she saw Jade smirk before snaking her tongue out and licking the alcohol coating her lips. She rolled her brown eyes skyward in frustration, only then noticing the remaining stripper pole embedded in what had once been shelves of liquor above them. She watched it wobble and quaver, never threatening to fall due to how deeply it had penetrated the wall.

"Think he found us." Tori muttered.

"It would appear so!" Jade agreed, in that voice that drove the other girl mad.

"This isn't really the time for humor, Jade!" She snapped. "We need a plan!"

"I'm working on it!" Her eyes were still focused on the pole. "I don't suppose you'd volunteer to be bait again, would you?"

"No." Tori deadpanned.

"It's marginally safer than the vampire incident…"

"_No_." She repeated adamantly, snatching her arm away from Jade's creeping hand.

"_Fine_/" Jade agreed. "Give me your hand." Tori looked at her incredulously and crossed her arms. The half demon groaned angrily and grabbed the younger girl by her hair, yanking it once for good measure before vanishing into the darkness once again.

"Ow! Ow! **OW!**" Tori swatted at Jade's grip until she was released, shooting the pale girl a burning glare before she realized she couldn't actually see her; the room they were in was pitch black, and Tori could barely make out her companion's form. "Where are we?"

"Storage room, just behind the bar." The older girl was moving smoothly in the darkness, unimpeded by a lack of sight. Tori's eyes fluttered before emitting a pale glow and washing everything in a warm light. Jade was quietly climbing over discarded costumes and a few cots with questionable stains, making her way to the far wall. "Since you refuse to play bait," she grunted as she shoved a box aside. "You are in charge of the lights."

The Latina furrowed her brows but obediently followed when Jade waved her over. "I need more darkness. Wait for my signal and throw the main breaker."

"Why don't we just throw it now?"

"I don't know how smart this thing is… if we throw it now he may sense a plan and take off." Jade ripped open the metal casing and pointed to a red lever. "This switch. My signal. Stay here."

Before Tori could argue Jade disappeared, and in the next room she heard her cocky voice, drowned out by the angry bellow of a determined monster.

Jade felt ludicrous – for the second time this week she was staring down a murderous beast in a ridiculous outfit. For once she'd like to enter into battle in leather pants and a halter top, like Faith from _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. _She_ knew how to dress for a fight, and definitely wouldn't ever be caught in lime green taffeta. She had materialized just off stage, whistling to catch the Totoli's attention. They shared an intense look, and he never took his eyes from her as he stalked around piles of overturned tables and chairs. Her gaze, however, flickered briefly to the pole still embedded in the wall. The end of it was pinched and jagged, a result of the monster wrenching it back and forth to rip it from its base.

The Totoli charged at surprising speed, and Jade was barely able to duck under his arms before melting back into the shadows. She reappeared near the exit and catcalled again, curtseying in his direction. "Too slow." Again he ran towards her, again she disappeared. They continued this game of cat and mouse for a few more rounds, with each passing miss driving the beast to a new level of frustration and rage. Jade hadn't escaped entirely unscathed – fresh claw marks burned and dribbled blood down her chest, and she was tiring from the constant use of her powers.

She teleported behind the bar and crouched on shaky knees as she tried to catch her breath. The Totoli was sufficiently enraged, his actions having become less controlled, less calculated. He was little more than a charging bull by now. She brushed sweat-soaked hair from her face and exhaled, hauling her body up and over the bar. The beast was ripping apart what was rest of the stage in what appeared to be a supernatural temper tantrum. She positioned herself carefully in front of the pole, close enough to feel the sharpened point graze the back of her neck. "Get ready, Vega." She yelled over her shoulder.

They caught each other's eye for the final time. "Now!" She was surprised how shaky the command sounded as he rushed forward. He was nearly to her when the room was plunged into darkness, and Jade threw her arms in front of her face as she disappeared into the air. The action felt sluggish and slow; intangibility wasn't coming as quickly as she'd hoped and she was suddenly afraid she might find herself impaled on the skewer intended for the beast.

Instead of angry talons ripping her pale flesh, Jade was suddenly aware of soft, warm hands on her arms. "Jade? Are you okay?" She dropped arms to her side and opened her eyes to find Tori's glowing back at her, brows knitted in concern. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure yet." The older hybrid admitted, mentally checking herself for damage. It appeared as though she had teleported in one piece.

"Is it dead?"

"I'm not sure yet." She repeated, pushing herself off the wall and making herself cautiously to the door. She turned the knob slowly and cracked it just enough to peer into the destroyed club. There were no sounds – no low growls or wails, no destruction being wrought. All was silent. She pushed the door open further, it's low squeak shattering the silence and alerting anyone in the room to their presence.

Tori stepped past her and immediately clamped a hand over her mouth. "Oh my God," came her muffled response, her eyes as wide as saucers. Jade leaned against the doorframe and craned her neck, smiling when she saw the source of Tori's reaction. The Totoli lay slumped against the bar, impaled at the throat by the stripper's pole. Crimson dripped from his mouth and the wound and pooled on the bar before spilling to the floor, making for a particularly gruesome scene. The jagged end protruded from the back of his neck and coated with blood and gore.

Jade was still smiling at her handiwork when Tori turned back to her. "Took a dozen of you before, huh?" She gloated. "With better powers?"

"Alright, alright!" Tori raised her hands in defeat. "What now?"

"Now?" Jade echoed, noticing the flashing red and blue lights shining through the dingy windows. "Now we leave." She took Tori's hand in her own and dragged her back into the storage room.

"And leave it there for mortals to find?" Tori was struggling against her, pulling towards the beast. "Let's just take it with us."

"I can't carry him and you… and it won't be the first time the cops have cleaned up one of our messes. Let's go." She urged, jerking her into an embrace for a more secure hold on her; she hadn't ever "dropped" someone while shadow-walking, but she was so bodily exhausted now she felt it could be possibility. So she held on tight and tugged them backwards as the front door banged open and the police spilled in. Their voices became muffled, distant, before disappearing all together.

The rematerialized in Tori's bathroom, and Jade was grateful for the cool air that washed over her clammy skin. She released the Latina and leaned back against the tile wall, digging at the laces securing her corset. "I need to call the Brotherhood." Tori breathed, taken off guard by the sudden teleportation.

"What?" Jade's skin prickled. "Why?"

"Totola are lackeys for a bigger boss. If one's in town there's probably more and something even bigger behind them."

"But we don't know what that big thing is." Jade argued. "And you're not even sure if there's more than one around here! I'm sure demons can be rogues too." She needed to buy more time before her former bosses got involved.

"It could also be the big thing they sensed in the very beginning." Tori countered, flipping on the bathroom light.

"But it could still just be a fluke. We should keep looking." Jade finally unlaced the restrictive corset and ripped it open, leaving herself bare chested and panting for air. Tori averted her gaze as a flush crept into her cheeks. Unashamed, the pale girl unhooked her skirt and kicked it aside before ambling towards the shower. She was burning up, in desperate need of a cold bath.

"Looking where, exactly? Are you suggesting we comb every back alley and seedy bar in New York?" Tori focused her gaze on the floor, determined to not let her eyes wander over Jade's pale, toned form. Her jaw clenched when a black thong landed in her line of sight and Jade disappeared behind the shower curtain.

"If you want to, go right ahead. I have a different idea that would be more straightforward. Hand me the soap." A hand shot out, fingers wagging expectantly.

"What's that?" Tori was suspicious.

"Ever been to a demon bar?"


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey, guys. Sorry for the delay again. The job hunting market is still pathetic. I may have gotten a teaching job though - I'm just waiting to hear back from boss-lady now. Wish me luck!**

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"I take it back." Tori quipped nervously as they turned down yet another alley. "You go. I'll wait for you back at the hotel." The sun had long set, leaving the girls hurrying through the crisp night air as they made their way to the demon bar, Pandora. When Jade had made the suggestion last night Tori had been adamantly against it - the idea of stepping foot into one of those dens of immorality made her incredibly anxious. Plus, surely they could figure out this mystery without seeking help from the other side. After all, They were two very smart girls, thank you very much.

"Do you really feel long navigating this maze alone? Near a demon bar?" Jade appeared to be studying some unseen message on the side of an old brownstone, her brows furrowed in concentration and her tone absent.

"It seems like a better idea than actually venturing into one." Tori mumbled, glancing around anxiously. "They're going to eat me alive."

"I'm sure you taste too self-righteous for them." Satisfied, she started off again down yet another side street. "I told you, Shocktop's on a Thursday night usually has a rougher crowd than this place."

Tori frowned. "How often do you have to come here to know that?" Guardians were warned against these places, advised not to frequent them.

"Obviously not enough if I can't find them damn place." Jade huffed defensively. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not leading you to your doom."

Tori, though still justifiably cautious around Jade, was no longer worried that she planned on feasting on her or bringing about her untimely demise (purposefully, at least.) That, however, didn't mean that her impulsive and rash behavior wouldn't land them in trouble they would always be able to successfully overcome. They'd been lucky so far, in her opinion. "I wasn't thinking that." Tori finally replied, extinguishing her torch eyes as an act of faith. A small smile tugged at her lips when she felt some of the edge soften in Jade's mood.

"Stop that." The older girl barked in response.

Tori forced a straight face, knowing that Jade knew the smile was still lingering under the surface. It'd taken nearly a century, but she was finally beginning to understand parts of Jade; despite bring the oldest of their team, she was never the leader. That role had been designated to the likes of Andre and, later, Tori. The Guardians hasn't trusted her explosive temper and dark moods with a position of power. She had always obediently (if not begrudgingly) accepted her role and Tori, aware of the hierarchy, hadn't realized how it affected Jade so. Here, in this moment, Jade shined as a leader, stepping forward when Tori was unsure, leading the way dauntlessly through the dark.

Sure, in the end it was for her own benefit, but the qualities couldn't be overlooked. Jade stopped again at a corner and scrutinized yet another seemingly invisible mark. "What is it you're doing?" Tori asked curiously.

"The bar isn't stationary. It resides in a pocket dimension. Every few weeks it changes location to avoid the demon hunters and curious mortals." Jade explained. "They mark its new location with an enchanted script."

"How can you read it, then?"

"For demon eyes only." Jade glanced over her shoulder, her iridescent eyes shining a silvery-blue in the darkness. "The enchantment only allows us to see it. They figured the goody-two-shoes wouldn't be interested in our establishment anyway."

Tori frowned, a new uneasiness settling in the pit of her stomach. "Am I even allowed inside?"

"You're with me. You'll be fine. Just keep your nose out of everybody's business. You're not a Guardian the moment you walk through that door. You're just fishing for a few answers, understood?"

They finally finished winding their way through the labyrinth of back streets, arriving at a building that had seen better days. The windows were heavily boarded, preventing any curious urban explorers from gaining entry. Chunks of the brick facade had crumbled and fallen, allowing the peculiar sounds and smells to waft through the building's open wounds. A faint glow cast eerie shadows on the ground, and Tori held her breath as she leaned in close to peer in. She felt her heart pounding in her fingertips as she pressed her hands against the wall to balance herself, and squeezed one eye shut to better focus on the dark figures within. She could hear laughter over the loud music, hear human and decidedly non-human voices conversing. From this particular location she could see the bartender slide a glass of red liquid to a patron, and the younger hybrid had a sinking feeling that it wasn't a Bloody Mary.

A hand clamped over her shoulder and spun her, surprising her and eliciting a yelp of terror. It was Jade. "That's a good way to lose one of those pretty eyes." She warned shortly. "Come on. Paid your cover. You owe me 10 bucks." A pale hand wrapped tightly around a tan wrist and dragged her towards the open door, and the nearer they came the more Tori felt herself planting her feet in resistance.

"Maybe you should go in alone." Tori suggested again.

"Tori." Jade sighed, frustration evident. "Trust me, you'd rather come in and stay with me than stay out here alone and meet whoever may leave before me." She squeezed the younger girl's wrist reassuringly, an act Tori could tell was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. "Just come inside. They know me here. You'll be fine."

"Do they know you well?" Brows knitted together as a new wave of concern washed over – how often was Jade fraternizing with the darker underbelly? "It's not that I don't trust you." Well, that was mostly the truth. "I don't trust them." She nodded into the darkened room.

Jade's nostrils flared briefly, a defensive action. "Then trust me to keep you safe. I have so far."

Tori flashed a weak smile. "Sort of."

"Sort of saved your ass from a Totoli. And vampires." Jade spun on her heel again and led a slightly less resistant Tori into a demon-filled Pandora. "Back in '33 there was that horde of succubi... In '35 that banshee."

"Okay! I get it!"

"Do you remember that time you literally fell into a nest of Strzyga?"

"Jade!" Tori whined as the door banged shut behind them. The room reminded the Latina of a crypt... And smelled kind of like one too. A few heads turned at the sudden noise, a few stares lingered as the two women made their way to two empty stools at the bar. Tori swallowed hard as they passed the clientele, noticing a few vampires stared hard at her, apparently smelling her warm, pulsing blood. "Are you not worried about them?" She muttered quietly, closing the gap between their bodies; she was so close now she could smell Jade's hair, recently washed and smelling of coconut. It was refreshing, comforting, considering her surroundings.

Jade's eyes flickered towards the predators before returning to their determined path. "They have their dinner. Just don't entice them for dessert." She advised. The pair finally arrived at the bar and claimed a seat, much to the annoyance of the burly man behind the counter.

"No Guardians." He splayed his meaty hands on the bar, expanding himself to his full, intimidating size. Tori furrowed her brows, frustrated that her whole entity seemed to broadcast goody-two-shoes. She wanted to know what it was - what exactly made her stick out... But didnt want provoke the ox of a man in front of her.

Jade wasn't fazed. "She's freelance right now. Off the leash. She's just here with me."

His stare lingered on what Tori was sure was her shrinking frame. "Girlfriend?"

"No." They said in tandem. "Old co-worker." Jade snapped, finally commanding his attention. "Two fireballs. Doubles." She demanded, obviously irritated that they'd been paired together once again.

"Keep an eye on her then, Jack back there is eyeballing her." He shrugged, turning his back to them as he prepared their drinks.

"She can handle herself." Jade replied, being sure not to catch Tori's gaze as she paid her a compliment. "We're not here for the ambiance. We've got a few questions." The bartender made no sign that he had even heard them, let alone appear bothered by the statement. "I figure you're practically the all-seeing eye of all things shady. Anything new to report?"

He turned to face them, a wry glint in his grey eyes. "There's always something new to report in this town. It's New York. You have to be a little more specific… And a little more generous." He tapped the tip jar with his knuckle, the ring he wore causing a tinkling sound against the glass. Tori stared at it and noted absently that it appeared to have some design on it, though she couldn't tell quite what it was thanks to the rhythmic drumming of his thick fingers. Was that a globe? It was odd, regardless, but she knew better than to question the fashion sense of demonic bartenders.

The Latina felt a jab in her ribs and she jerked her gaze back to Jade, whose brows had climbed up her forehead expectantly. Tori blinked twice before realization set in and she huffed - this was to be on the Brotherhood's tab too. She dug in her pocket, not brave enough to carry her purse into this establishment, and pulled out a crumpled fifty that she then shoved in the grimy decanter. He picked up the container and eyeballed the cash within, as if mentally calculating how much information that had bought them. Satisfied, he rested his elbows on the counter and glanced back and forth between them, winking at Tori before settling his gaze on Jade. "What can I help you with, darlin'?"

"A Totoli ripped my club to pieces last night. Know anything about that?"

He laughed. "Totoli? What makes you think I'd even let one into my establishment?"

"Because you'll let _anyone_ into this hellhole." She quipped.

"As long as they can control themselves. I don't have the coin to keep rebuilding this place. It's why I don't let Trolls in anymore either. Totola are little more than rabid dogs."

"Well someone let it off its leash." Tori interrupted, noticing Jade's growing frustration. "I've studied them. They're obedient and come in packs. Someone must have sent him into the club, he wouldn't have gone in on his own for a show."

He shrugged at her. "Don't know what to tell you, kid. Haven't seen one, haven't heard anything about it."

"Is there any other Big-Bad in town I need to know about?" Jade offered up her own roll of bills, holding them like a cigarette between her fingers. Small ones, Tori noted. The bartender snatched them from her.

"Mercy!" A shout came from down the bar, the three turned their attention to a rather normal looking man slapping the counter. "Hey, Mercy! Round of Buds for me and my friends!"

Mercy the bartend shoved the cash in his pocket and flashed a smile in the girls' direction. "Nope. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"I want my money back!" Jade snapped towards his retreating form. Her demand was ignored.

"Dead end, then." Tori frowned, spinning her drink in slow circles on the counter.

"Maybe not." Jade sipped the amber liquid and spun in her chair, raven hair tumbling in her face as she surveyed the crowd. "Just because Mercy doesn't know anything doesn't mean they don't."

"Did you ever consider the idea that Mercy may just not be talking?" The voice came from beside Tori, a patron had slunk up next to them without either of them noticing. "Hello, good lookin'."

"It crossed my mind." Jade smirked in his direction. "Jack, this is Tori. My temporary shadow."

Jack. The man who had been eyeballing her. Tori took all of him in and felt a blush creeping across her cheeks. He was, for lack of a better word, _hot_. His skin was a few shades darker than Tori's and practically flawless, his smile dazzling, and his eyes absolutely mesmerizing. He had the chiseled jaw of a demi-god with the toned arms to match. Tori suddenly imagined herself taking a shot off what was sure to be a flawless 6-pack. Words escaped her, and she was sure her jaw had come unhinged and was just dangling open.

"Stop that." Jade snapped, snatching the Latina gracelessly back to reality. She twisted in her seat to face her companion and found her eyes narrowed angrily… jealously, perhaps? Jack did bear a similarity to Beck; Tori wondered if Jade wasn't unconsciously crushing on him.

"You know I can't resist flirting with a pretty face." Tori heard a smile in his voice and returned her attention to the attractive newcomer, only to nearly jump out of her skin. The rugged good looks had vanished; in their place was a pale sliver a man. His face was narrow, his nose aquiline. The smile she had heard revealed long canines. The brunette looked over his shoulder, wondering how the hunk had disappeared so quickly.

"Jack's a hybrid, Tori." Jade explained, taking another sip of her drink.

"Infused with the essence of Incubus." He extended his hand and shook hers. "A shapeshifter by default. A charismatic one, if I do say so myself. The ladies love me."

Jade blinked at him, obviously unamused. "Do you have any helpful information or do you just plan on striking out all night?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Ice queen." He huffed. "You haven't been around lately, so maybe you haven't noticed the lack of the usual crowd. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

The girls glanced at the half empty bar. "I assumed you'd recently changed locations. It takes a few days for everyone to find the place." Jade admitted, still studying the patrons. She appeared to be searching for someone in particular.

"We've been here almost two weeks, and every night less come in."

"So maybe they're going somewhere else. It's not like Mercy makes the place very welcoming."

"It's a few demons, but mostly hybrids, Jade… and not just Rogues, so I don't think your Brotherhood is behind it." Jack reached for Tori's untouched glass. "You don't mind, do you?" He wagged an empty beer bottle in the air. "I'm dry."

"I do." Jade snatched it back and shoved it into Tori's hands. She shared a look with the Guardian and Tori knew what she was thinking – that was the whole reason she was here, and it was beginning to hit a lot closer to home. "Why would Mercy feel the need to keep that a secret?"

"Got me. I can only assume that if he told you he figured you would stake out the place. Your bubbling personality doesn't exactly draw in the crowd." Jack tossed the bottle into the nearby bin and tapped the counter for a new one.

"Doesn't seem to matter at the club." Tori muttered under her breath, ignoring Jade's glare and taking a deep drink of her fireball.

Jack smiled. "I like this one. You should bring her around more." He took Tori's hand once again and kissed the top of it. "It takes a brave soul to tease the Ice Queen. I praise you."

Mercy set a fresh bottle on the counter. "That's my cue, ladies. I'll be off. I see my company has arrived." The front door slammed shut a moment later, and Jack's demi-god facade consumed his pale features. He rolled his shoulders and flashed a bright smile before sauntering over to the tall blonde that had just entered.

Jade scowled. "Well, now what?" Tori asked.

"Now we wait. See if I recognize any other hybrids. We can talk to them." Jade finished her drink in one big gulp and ordered another.

"You realize that's my exact mission." Jade blinked, realizing she had inadvertently reassigned herself to a cause she had long abandoned. "My. Exact. Mission." A smile was creeping across her face. "That you just took up willingly. To help people."

"This is to help _me_." Jade countered with an icy glare. "_My_ crowd is disappearing. Demons are attacking _my_ club. I don't need this shit following me around. If I happen to save a few people in the meantime, so be it. Besides, the faster I help you, the faster you get out of my hair."

"How heroic." Tori replied sarcastically. "And here I thought you were beginning to enjoy my company."

"You're woefully mistaken."

"Ice Queen."

"Goody-two-shoes."

The first hour passed slowly, and by the start of the second Tori was certain Jade had completely lost sight of the task at hand and was searching for it in the bottom of her shot glass. Tori, meanwhile, was nursing her second drink in an effort to be mostly coherent. Seeing Jade intoxicated was an unusual sight – the woman who was normally so concerned with privacy and stoicism was warming up considerably, chatting with the demon patrons like they were old friends.

"So Cat… she's been okay, right?" Jade asked suddenly.

Tori paused. "She is, yeah." She nodded. "A few close calls over the years, but she's really grown into her powers. There haven't been nearly as many accidents." She was referring to the redhead's tendency to be overwhelmed by her emotions and subsequently lose control over her powers. The last time it had happened with Jade present, she had set their stakeout on fire and revealed their location to a pack of werewolves.

Jade nodded in return and continued to stare with that glazed look. Tori took that as incentive to continue. "Andre's doing well too. They're stationed in Montana right now. A horde of chupacabre is raising hell. When they finish up they're going to rendezvous with me here." Satisfied, the pale girl returned to her drink, watching quietly as the beads of condensation fell into a ring around the glass. "Cat doesn't think you're dead. Andre and me… sorry to admit this, kind of figured you were. She still thinks you'll come back one day. I can feel her feel it." Upon her last words she could feel something building in Jade, something she tried desperately to crush, to shove away in a box somewhere the empath couldn't access.

It was too late; Tori had already sensed it and recognized it all too easily. "You miss them too."

"What's your point." Her tone was obvious: shut up, Vega. She returned her attention to her glass as to avoid eye contact.

"Just seems strange to miss people when you're the one who turned your back on them."

Her companion's spine went rigid, her grip on her tumbler threatened to shattered the thin glass. Tori was thankful she wasn't a dragon hybrid, one capable of breathing fire when provoked. She'd be little more than a scorch mark on her stool if that were the case, she was certain.

"You need to mind your own goddamn business, Vega." She snapped, throwing back the rest of her drink. "Why I left doesn't concern you or any of them. Cat was the closest thing I had to a sister. Andre was my best friend. You … were inconsequential. But not a reason I left."

Tori felt Jade's emotions infecting her, perhaps a result of her intoxication. "Well you could have fooled us. The second Beck and Robbie died you disappeared. The fire in the factory hadn't even gone out. We needed you, Jade. And I know you needed us."

"You don't know shit." Jade countered, eyes blazing.

"I was right there with you that night, right when that those mental blocks you used to brag about so much came crumbling down. I knew exactly how you felt." She snapped. There it was – the long kept secret. The one Tori swore she would take to her grave for the sake of Jade's pride. Now that she considered it, however, she realized that the grave may not be too far away. "You didn't have to deal with that pain all alone. You still don't." Her tone had softened in surrender. She and Jade had been doing this same dance since their paths had crossed; it was exhausting. In the beginning Tori had hoped she could chip away at her defenses, convince Jade that she really did just want to be her friend. Now she just wanted her to know that the door was open and let her come in if she chose.

"God, Tori, can you ever just mind your own business? Did you ever stop to consider that one of the reasons I don't ask you for help is because you think you're some kind of saint? I feel like one of the dirty masses you get off on while helping."

The younger girl was taken aback at the vulgarity of the statement, at Jade debasing her calling. "I don't think you're – "

"Or if I didn't feel like you were just trying to probe my brain and make sure I wasn't about to give into the dark side." Jade interrupted. "Don't think I haven't noticed they always place empaths on teams where some of the darker hybrids are present. You're supposed to alert the Brotherhood if we're about to go AWOL." Tori frowned and opened her mouth to interject. "You're little more than a spy… a tool. Did you know that? _That's_ why I won't ask you for help."

Jade half slid, half tumbled out of her seat and grabbed her coat. She jerked her over her shoulders and glanced back at the Latina, her rosy cheeks doing nothing to diminish the murderous look in her eyes. "It's also why you'll have to find your own damn way home."

Tori's eyes widened in realization and she scrambled off her own stool in a frantic effort to catch Jade before she could disappear. She was a half second too late – her hand closed around the empty air in which Jade had just been standing. Her forward moment carried her into Mercy, who had stepped out from behind the bar to clean a few tables. He caught her easily, feeling something akin to a fleshy, breathing wall. A fleshy, breathing wall that smelled like vomit and chewing tobacco. She pushed away from his quickly and smoothed her clothes in an effort to compose herself.

"Looks like Jade ran off." He commented.

"Yeah." Tori sighed.

"You got her tab or what?"

"Yeah." Tori repeated, sighing again. She begrudgingly trudged back to the counter and signed their hefty bill before making her own, longer, way back to her hotel. On the way out she slipped past Jack, who was looking a little worse for wear. She wondered how many drinks he had downed since they'd last spoken. "Looking a little pasty there." She muttered, the door slamming behind her a second before his response reached her ears.

* * *

By the time Tori arrived at the hotel door she was both confused and practically shaking with rage. How dare Jade accuse her of being a tool, a spy. She had been nothing _but_ supportive for the entire team, and never once did it cross her mind to ever report behavior to her superiors. Now she had half a mind to contact the Brotherhood, to inform them of Jade's exact position and let the chips fall where they may.

Of course she'd never _actually _do that, but it was a very cathartic idea, and perhaps the only thing that kept her calm enough to fish around her pockets for the card key rather than pound angrily on the door, assuming Jade was still there anyway.

When at last, on the third try, she managed to open the electronic lock, and threw it open with a vengeance. The lights were on, the bathroom door securely shut. A quick sweep of the room proved it empty; if Jade was here there was only one place she could be. The Latina grabbed the handle and cracked the door, her olfactory immediately assaulted by the smell of alcohol and, worse, vomit. She clicked on the light to find Jade slumped against the wall opposite the entrance, leaning her head against the toilet and cradling the stainless steel trashcan against her chest. Littered around her was the entire collection of minis from the hotel refrigerator. Jade was, for lack of a better term, blasted.

And completely at Tori's mercy.

The empath slipped inside and locked the door behind her before leaning against the heavy wood and crossing her arms. With the lights on, Jade would be unable to disappear… and she didn't appear to be able to stand and storm out like she was so famous for. Tori stared at her, watched her chest rise and fall in even strokes – was she asleep? "Jade?"

The girl in question jerked suddenly, cracking one pale eye to detect the source of the noise. "Look who made it home." She mumbled, a hint of a slur muddling the coherency of the sentence. Her chest suddenly swelled and she heaved, her stomach trying to dispel whatever remained within. It didn't sound like much, thankfully. She groaned and removed her head from the garbage pail, forcing open her other eye in the process. "That's not a happy face." She taunted. She rubbed the back of her hand across her mouth to clear a bit of dribble that had spilled down her face.

"I want to talk to you." Tori explained, crossing the small room to wet a washcloth. She wrung it out and attempted to pass it to her companion; the gesture was ignored and Tori tossed it near her instead. Jade had attempted to narrow a glower in her direction – in this particular moment it was remarkably less terrifying than it normally was.

"Well I don't want to talk to you. Go – "

"I didn't say I wanted you to talk. Not yet." The younger girl interrupted. "I want to talk to you. And I want you to listen." Jade looked away definitely, the action resembling that of a surly teenager. Tori took her silence as a cue to continue. She didn't know what she hoped to accomplish, if anything. She was tired, though. Tired of walking on eggshells, of dancing around Jade's often irrational sensitivities and insecurities. Whether she liked it or not they were teammates, at least temporarily. They couldn't keep butting heads like this – it was going to get one or both of them killed. She couldn't force Jade to respect her, or even like her. But damn it, Jade was going to understand her. Maybe, just maybe, she could convince her that she wasn't all bad.

She could tell, however, by the look in Jade's eyes that it was going to take divine intervention for her to arrive at that point.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hey guys - shorter chapter on account of me finally having ... a job! Still teaching, and only for marginally better pay. And I need to get myself on track with the story. I'm sorry for my absence, and I'm glad you guys are sticking with me. I really do appreciate all you guys :) **

* * *

Jade watched as Tori, albeit blurred around the edges, settled firmly against the door. She wished dearly that the alcohol would drag her down into sweet oblivion, but she knew her liver was a hardened champion by this point – and she was out of minis. She had been wise enough, too, to make sure the whole room was (painfully) illuminated. Jade was, in a word, trapped.

"You're a bitch." Tori stated plainly, a dull edge in her voice. She was still timid, possibly worried that Jade was still in control of her faculties well enough to jump up and throttle her. A tense three seconds passed before she continued, apparently emboldened by the lack of action on the half-demon's part. "And you've always kind of been a bitch in a 'I'm a pretty, bad-ass, troubled superhero' kind of way. But now you're downright vicious… and I don't really know what you've been up to the past few years, but I know I've done absolutely _nothing_ to deserve how you've treated me this past week." The color was rising in Tori's cheeks – apparently this outburst had been building for some time.

"And I've been ignoring it for the most part, hoping that maybe you'd soften up around the edges after you saw that I'm not going to turn you over or try and drag you back. But you may be the only person in the whole world who can somehow conclude from that that I'm some kind of spy for the Brotherhood. What the hell, Jade. Seriously? I just wanted you to know that after we sort out this mystery I hope I never see you again, not if you're going to be like this from now on. I don't want you back on our team, I don't even want to share a timezone with you." She seemed proud of herself, and as far back as Jade could remember this was possibly her most explosive outburst. The older girl felt a twinge of pride to have dealt a thick crack her normally smooth façade.

"Fine with me." Jade shrugged casually.

"Jade!" Tori exploded, slamming a delicate fist down onto the granite counter. "Would you just spill? What the hell did I do to deserve you treating me like this?" Jade rolled her eyes before closing them and leaned her head back against the wall, smugly defying her request. "Don't make me probe you. I can't read your thoughts but I've gotten pretty damn good at reading emotions." The Latina threatened quietly.

Jade's eyes snapped open, the blurred edges regaining their shape as her anger evaporated the delightful buzz. "Try and I'll kill you." She warned. The pair narrowed their gazes at one another and the seconds ticked by tensely. Jade had all but considered herself victorious when she felt the first telepathic blow. She tensed in surprise – Tori was much stronger than she remembered; it never occurred to her that, after decades of training, Tori might be substantially more powerful. Meanwhile, Jade's abilities had stagnated over time without the vigorous training she was once committed to.

Jade scrambled to reinforce her mental blocks as Tori systematically battered them. She wasn't a slingshot as she had been before – she was practically a wrecking ball, and Jade was surprised she had held back this long, surprised and frustrated that she hadn't sensed the stronger empath standing where little weak Tori had once stood.

Jade recognized trouble when it knocked on her door… or, in this case, came crashing through it. If she didn't do something now Tori would gain access to memories and feelings that she had managed to lock away from even herself; it'd be like striking a match in a blind cave – there'd be no telling what the light would reveal, or what it might disturb. Diet and meditation had barely contained the demon rattling against its chains, the one that still spoke to her on a daily basis, the one that had nearly consumed her after Beck had died. Its scream had faded to barely a whisper, but Jade knew if someone rattled the cage it'd only work it back into a frenzy.

"Stop it!" She snarled, hurling the trashcan in Tori's direction. It bounced loudly off the wall and rolled harmlessly under the counter, easily missing its target by a wide margin.

"No!" The Latina demanded, taking an angry step forward and redoubling her efforts. "God, you're such a stubborn ass!"

Jade groaned in frustration and pushed herself up the wall, hands grappling for purchase against the smooth tile. Her head was beginning to throb and ache – Tori had found the demon's cage, and it was well aware of her presence, of who she was.

It was not pleased.

And based on Tori's expression, the feeling was mutual.

"Get _out_!" Jade yelled. She felt Tori's mind probing around hers, over feelings that were painful, personal, and secret. "Fine! _Fine_!" The barreling intrusion paused. "We can talk! Just get the fuck out of my head!" The tendrils began to retreat.

"Are you serious?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes. Christ. Just stop." When at last the presence was finally gone, Jade felt as if she could collapse.

Instead, she did the next best thing – she dropped to her knees and puked up the contents of her evening. After a few seconds of heaving and coughing she resurfaced, regrettably resting her cheek on the porcelain seat. She felt the younger girl move behind her, felt her crouch down and rub her back. "Stop it." Jade croaked, wiping away the vomit that had escaped through her nose.

"No." Tori replied softly, a hint of agitation still present in her voice. "Stubborn ass."

====…====

Jade leaned against the headboard, a pillow hugged against her chest, as she attempted to maintain a steady gaze at Tori, seated in a chair near the window. She was fidgeting anxiously with her cuticles as she girded herself for the conversation to come. Meanwhile, Jade struggled to control the storm brewing in the back of her mind; it was only contributing to her pounding headache, and knew her condition would worsen if she couldn't nip it now.

"I'm offended you think I'm a spy." The girl stated quietly. Jade refocused her attention on the younger hybrid before her, and watched as she seemed to deflate slightly. She had always known Tori to be an easy-going kid, one who rarely took offense, rarely lashed out. Yet here, in this room, after she'd practically ripped Jade a new one, she was wilting over an observation Jade thought had been fairly obvious. She could see that, in addition to being offended, Tori was also riddled with doubt; perhaps she had found that feeling rooted so deeply in Jade's psyche that she couldn't help now but question the validity. "You guys were my first and only team. My family… do you really think I could betray you?"

"If a big bad and threatened your family you would protect them, wouldn't you?"

"Of course." Tori frowned, as if any other response would be unfeasible.

"What if the big bad was me? Or Beck?"

She opened her mouth but spilled no sound; she remained, mouth agape, for a few seconds as she willed the answer to come to her. "But you would never…"

One corner of Jade's mouth tilted upwards, a sad smirk claiming her features. "We've got evil in our DNA, thanks to the Brotherhood. You've heard stories of the Dark claiming some of their hosts, right?"

"Yeah, but – "

"I knew some of those people. Some of them, angel, were my mentors long before you were even a twinkle in your father's eye. They didn't seem like a threat either. Their spirit weakened after centuries in the line of duty, weakened enough that whatever was in them could take over. It's a longer process than it seems – losing yourself – longer than the Brotherhood are willing to admit, I think. But I believe most of it is undetectable, it takes place in here," she paused to tap her index finger against her temple, "And the changes don't become noticeable until the war is almost lost… or won, depending on whose perspective you're judging from."

"So the empaths …"

"An early warning system, as far as I can figure. Catch them when their moods begin to shift, remove them from the equation before things get ugly. It's happened before."

Tori leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, still unsure. "How can you know that?"

"I'm sure you've realized by now that empaths are in short supply. Light and Dark species combined, there's very few of us. While the Brotherhood would _prefer_ to use creatures like _you_, it's not always possible. Sometimes they're willing to enlist anyone who can sense emotions."

A spark ignited in her dark eyes and spread across her features; she gripped the arms of her chair and leaned forward, practically out of her seat, as she waited for Jade to continue. "You?" She prompted. Jade could feel her inner conflict; she'd been that naïve once.

The pale girl turned her attention to the window. "They were subtle about it. 'Keep an eye on James, Jade. He's been acting strange. Let us know if you sense something in that way only you can, and we'll get him the help he might need.' I was young and eager to prove myself. I became James' second shadow, and could tell before anyone else what was happening to him. He was over 200 years old, he was worn down. He wanted to retire, but the Brotherhood told him he was too powerful, too valuable to lose. They pushed him to his breaking point… maybe if he could have walked away he would have been fine.

I didn't know any better. I told the Council what I had felt in him and they took him away. They said he would return when he was rested."

"Did you ever see him again?" Tori asked quietly. Jade's gaze on the window chilled. "Is that the only time it's happened?"

"There have been a few other occasions. I think I'd turned in two by the time you joined the team. I knew what was happening, then, and they must have realized I'd figured it out because I hadn't made a peep about Beck. When you joined I thought it strange – they rarely had more than one empath on a team – but then I knew you could only be there for one reason.

"Because I was young and wouldn't know any better…" Tori finished, leaning back into the faux-leather chair. She looked as if she'd just been punched in the gut. "What do you think the Brotherhood did with the ones they took away?"

"I never asked. I didn't want to know." Jade answered, ashamed to have finally admitted it aloud. "When I scried for them I couldn't find them… that doesn't really give me warm fuzzies about them retiring in Hawaii."

"No one can find you either, Jade." The younger girl remarked.

Jade met her with a steady, solid stare. "The Brotherhood doesn't know how I disappeared, and, even if they did, I doubt they passed along that little trick to James and the rest of them."

The room fell quiet; Jade felt like she'd given Tori the explanation she wanted and didn't see any more reason to speak. Tori appeared to be suffering something of an identity crisis, as if her whole world had been turned upside down. The older hybrid sighed. "It's not like the entire system is flawed, Vega. We still do good. Some of us just turn bad, and the Brotherhood isn't as sparkly clean as they like to seem." She shifted her weight to the left and allowed herself to tumble onto her side, head pounding. "Find me some asprin." She demanded weakly.

Tori stared through her for a moment before the request registered. "So that's why you never liked me." She muttered, bending over to retrieve the bottle from her bag. Out of habit, Jade tilted her head to gain a better view of her denim-clad ass.

"Among other reasons." She smirked as Tori turned and blushed, unconsciously covering her rearend with her hand. She threw the bottle at the older girl's head in retaliation. Jade deflected it easily and struggled with the child-proof cap; at over a century old these damnable things still tormented her.

"You decided you hated me by the end of my first day! What could I have possibly done by then?"

Jade rolled her eyes but remained silent. The truth was that she had been jealous and scared of Tori – Tori, the new shiny empathy, the _good_ empath who would never have to watch her back or worry about being "forcibly retired." Tori was her replacement, and represented the beginning of her end. She watched as her friends accepted her with open arms, even Beck, with whom she had shared her theories and concerns. One look at Tori had shattered her credibility, in his opinion. How could that sweet kid be the cause of their removal? Surely she wouldn't turn on them, not if Jade convinced her not to.

So Jade had listened to Beck and remained, despite every fiber of her being screaming for her to disappear. She felt herself aging before her time, her cynicism and negativity intensifying from that damnable demon wailing in her psyche. Beck's sudden demise sent her spiraling in more ways than one, and she knew she couldn't delay any longer; she was losing the will to fight the good fight – for mankind or her own soul – and, rather than face the Brotherhood's weak attempts of a cure, she decided to be responsible for her own skin. If she failed, if the chaos demon consumed her mind and body, she was sure she'd be apprehended before she caused too much damage. It was a risk she was willing to take to survive, to be free.

The bed rocked as Tori bounced down on the edge, making Jade's vision swim and stomach churn. "Why didn't you tell me any of this when we were teammates?" She began unlacing Jade's boots and tugged them off before placing them in the corner.

"I didn't trust you." She replied plainly, relishing the feel of her toes wiggling freely in the cool air.

"Do you trust me now?" Tori extended her hands and motioned for Jade to take them. The pale girl hesitated, stared at the small, innocent hands that violated her personal space. Jade was acutely aware of the darker facets of the human condition. Hell, she often took pleasure in antagonizing those facets. She knew how humans, herself included, could easily lie and cheat and harm to promote themselves, how they could easily overlook the collateral damage. Tori, though fused with some overly-good spirit, was still just as human as the rest of them, and could just as easily possess the same characteristics that everyone had come to expect from people like Jade. Hers could even be the best disguise.

So said the Darkness whose shadows were slowly consuming her. But a part of Jade remained firmly in the light, and realized that the Latina had passed up over a dozen attempts to betray her already. She had saved her life three times in the past few days, and had tended to her in practically every way. Pale eyes searched dark curiously and found nothing but hope, a desire to love and be loved. It pulsated from her core like a warm heartbeat.

Jade took Tori's hands and smiled, faltering for a fraction of a second as an inhuman wail crashed through her mind. "I trust you with my life." She admitted honestly, if not still a little bitter.

Tori's eyes lit up as she pulled Jade upright. "Really?" She chimed hopefully, passing the intoxicated girl a fresh set of pajamas.

"Don't get too excited. All that means is I expect you to throw yourself between me and a charging demon. I didn't say anything about trusting you with my secrets."

The dazzling smile had faded by the time Jade freed herself from the confines of her shirt. She patted the younger girl on her cheek before tugging the tanktop over her head and falling back to remove her pants. When she finished changing she embraced the sensation of the cool, crisp sheets against her warm body, imagining it had some healing property that battled the damaging effects of alcohol. Through closed eyes she watched the lights click out, and felt Tori once again crawl into bed. Jade remained where she was, forcing Tori to contort her lithe body around the unyielding ivory form.

"Well, I trust you with my secrets. You're like Fort Knox." She yawned, petting Jade's arm. It was an unfamiliar, though not entirely unpleasant, sensation. "Can I tell you something?"

"Knock yourself out, Vega."

"No one missed you as much as I did when you disappeared." Jade snorted. "I'm serious!" She quit stroking Jade's arm and took it in a solid grip. "I know these things. I'm an empath. I always sensed something in you that drew me to you. I don't know if it's because we share a similar ability of what... But I felt linked to you. And that night Beck died I think we became tied _somehow_. But when you left, I feel like I'd been ripped in two. I felt like I'd lost my right arm."

Jade was suddenly very uncomfortable; she didn't have bonds. It wasn't her thing, not anymore. Relationships only brought her trouble, she knew that by now.

"The years numbed that feeling, but the moment I found you in that alley I felt ... I don't know. Like I'd rediscovered a limb I'd completely forgotten I'd once had." The pair laid in silence as they both processed their shared information. It was a lot to take in in one night.

Jade felt the battered walls around her mind tingling, alerting her to the Tori's psychic presence. She opened her mouth to complain and found herself too exhausted, too spent from the evening. Instead, she sighed. "Are you doing that on purpose?"

A confused grunt sounded next to her in the darkness. "I don't notice it sometimes." She offered apologetically, and seconds later the presence retreated. "I'm not trying to get into your business… it's just my default." Jade rolled over onto her side and absently rubbed her temple, willing the lingering ghosts to fade away again. "I was never _trying_ to get into your business."

Jade recognized the statement as further apology for Tori thrusting herself into Jade's life and taking root, for being a frustrating reminder of the world that she had turned her back on. She wasn't sure if she was ready to accept the younger girl's apology, especially with her initial threat to reveal her to the Brotherhood; if there was even an inkling of truth behind it Jade couldn't allow herself to let her guard down around Tori. She couldn't allow a repeat of this little "bonding ritual." She couldn't allow herself to let Tori bury her roots deeper or discover her biggest secrets.

And still, she longed for companionship. The decades had been lonely. She'd had lovers – many lovers – those unknown souls who made the empty nights pass more quickly. But she always disappeared before morning, skipping pillow-talk and breakfast. It was easier when they were drunk and inevitably passed out, when she could sink into the shadows of their soiled sheets and reappear in her own home, satisfied and safe-feeling in her own bed. Her sanctuary. She had very few friends to speak of, and _none_ of them had ever learned her true name. Her full name. Her past.

Despite her uneasiness around Tori, despite her distrust… It was nice having someone to share a conversation with, even if it was a guarded one. She felt the younger Latina twitch behind her, well on her way to drifting off. It was nice sharing a bed with someone without having to fulfill the expectation for sex.

Having Tori around, though she hated to admit it… feared admitting it, was _nice_.

She knew the risks in allowing herself to believe such a pleasant falsity, but Jade went to bed letting herself embrace the warmth emanating from behind her, and let herself enjoy the fact that, when she woke, her companion would still be there tomorrow and she wouldn't be alone.


End file.
